Legends,Loves,Myths and Vodka
by MrsBoreanaz1
Summary: River Song has always loved the story of Anastasia since she was a child but she's shocked to find the Doctor's terrible part in this tale. Could he be responsible for the assassination of the Romanov Family?
1. Prologue

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who because, if I did, then I would possess great intellect. And i don't. _

_**Summary**: River Song has always loved the story of Anastasia since she was a child but she's shocked to find the Doctor's terrible part in this tale. Could he be responsible for the assassination of the Romanov Family? _

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><p><strong><em>Legends,Loves,Myths and Vodka<em>**

_The following is an extract from a book entitled "Analysing social discontent in Eastern Europe (late 19__th__ to early 23__rd__ century)" mentioned here is the section about a country on Earth known as Russia .It was compiled by Professor C.D Garth of the Lunar University in the year 5145._

_The Book in question was safely locked away in the University's archives until the early hours of the morning when the archive was broken into and this text was stolen. Thankfully an electronic copy was stored on the library database:_

**Chapter twenty three: The First and Second Russian Revolutions **

**Sub chapter seven: the impact of Myths and Legends on the lower classes.**

Perhaps even more bizarre then the Russian people's firm belief that the last grand duchess survived her family's assassination is the idea that a man, dressed that day in what appeared to be the clothes of an English gentleman, was the one who oversaw the rest of the Romanov families deaths.

There are several irregularities concerning this story, for instance, no record of this man existed throughout the rise of the Soviet and the Russian Revolution before this point, if he were charged with such an important task then surely he was a prominent Bolshevik worth mentioning?

Secondly, witnesses claim that he did not merely dress as an Englishman, but spoke as one as well. The English involvement in the Russian Civil war contradicts this belief; the English were in favour of the Royal family, fearing Marxist ideology.

Thirdly, witnesses to this "shadow" as he is dubbed, all declare that upon hearing the gunshots from inside the house the Royal family were confined to, the man stepped into a blue wooden box which simply disappeared after the second or so.

It has been suggested by many such historians that if this shadow ever did exist, he was nothing more then a story in the minds of the people, born out of a desire to blame their own discontent on an elusive figure, for the shadow never returned to Russia, nor played another part in the shaping of the new nation ever again.

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><p><strong>Lunar University, Archive, year 5160 <strong>

She lets the Book fall out of her hands and onto the ground with a heavy thud, indifferent to the thought that someone might hear the sound.

There is a picture beneath the writing she has just read. _That _was what caught her attention in the first place.

Not a photograph, rather, an artist's impression of what the shadow assumedly looked like.

A face stared out of the book, a young looking man with brown messy hair that flopped over his eyes, oh those eyes, so ancient and so young, the artist had managed to capture them so well. The man was dressed splendidly in a brown tweed jacket, under which she could just see his red braces and a white shirt accompanied by a red bowtie.

Slowly she sank to the ground in front of the book, running a finger along the man in the pictures left cheekbone. How she knew that face, every inch of it like she knew herself.

And yet, it appeared, she didn't know the man himself for the words were so out of character to the man she loved.

He would never do something like this. Destroyer of worlds he may be, but one man's destruction is another's saviour_, and this,_ this benefitted no-one.

Briefly she considered the information's validity, but, with a heavy sigh her rational side persuaded her otherwise and she was forced to admit defeat. The author was a well known historian who was known for his extreme attention to detail on his subjects and a very precise researcher.

She jumped violently when she heard the sound of voices outside the door behind her, coming back to the present in an instant; she was in the Archive of her old university, having stolen the access card of one Professor C.D Garth in order to obtain research for her thesis.

C.D Garth's dead body was currently orbiting around a planet that she had forgotten the name of but no one would find that out for a long time.

_That_, she consoled herself, was not her fault, but it _would_ look suspicious if she were to be found here with his access card.

Quickly she leaned forward and scooped up the heavy book in both arms, snapping it shut and standing up.

The curiosity would plague her until she worked found out the truth and besides, what better way was there to get a hold of some research then to go out and do some fieldwork?

Dusty tome in hand, Doctor River Song reached down to her wrist purposefully and typed in the correct co-ordinates for her vortex manipulator.

By the time her old lecturer, Professor Candy, had unlocked the door, she was already gone. The only trace that someone had been in the room was a lone access card on the ground and an open Archive drawer missing a single book.

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><p><em>hope you liked it, <em>

_**I might update based on what people think so Please Review! **_


	2. Now all our Memories,They're haunted

_So i guess I'm continuing with this story then thanks to all your wonderful reviews :) _

_This isn't pre-revolutionary Russia as yet but next chapter I solemnly swear on Fish Fingers and Custard will be set there :) _

_The Doctor's a bit angst here so sorry for that! anyways, judging by what I've written this fic is gonna get M rated eventually, you've been warned kids! :D _

_Lastly, The Chapter name is taken from Kelly Clarkson's "Already Gone" _

_Oks ENJOY!_

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><p><strong>Chapter one: Now all our memories,t<strong>**hey're haunted.**

_The following is the introduction from an online article filed in the Lunar University's Library database. The article is entitled "Treatment of Criminals: Who are the Real Monsters here?" and was written by well known Criminologist and human rights activist Janice A. Carp in 5157. This article is open to all staff and students of the Lunar University. _

The Stormcage Containment Facility has perhaps the most appalling of prisons. It is well known by all that the prison is reserved for only the most severe of crimes, those criminals beyond rehabilitation. Does that mean therefore that we should treat these people as animals rather then as people?

On a recent visit to the prison I was shocked at the conditions of the cells, which, I assure you, are in stark contrast to the officer's lounge.

Yes, we are all well aware that inmates are to be deprived of all privileges, but basic needs as well? The cells are filthy, clothes not washed for weeks, the smell of sweat, blood and pure terror hit me as soon as I walked through the doors.

Make no doubt; Stromcage is, as the public claim, the jail to end all jails.

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><p><em><strong>The Maldovarium 5160<strong>_

The Doctor crumpled the piece of paper in his hand and, cursing, threw it onto the threadbare carpet in front of him. Everyday he was reminded of the situation, He was supposedly a pile of ash at the bottom of Lake Silencio in Utah and River Song, Child of The TARDIS, daughter of his best friends, _his wife_, had been charged with his murder.

Sighing in a frustrated sort of way, The Doctor lowered the hood of the black cloak he wore so that no one could see his face. In any case, the fire in front of his luxurious armchair cast shadows which hid him perfectly.

For three weeks he had come to this place, plonked himself down the same chair and ordered a glass of what appeared to be an alcoholic beverage, which was actually just a rum and coke without the rum because however worried he may be, it wasn't worrying enough to resort to drowning his sorrows in alcohol.

Every day for three weeks he had landed in Stormcage, opposite River's cell, and each time he had been met with the same sight, a cold, empty cell, devoid of all her possessions and of the woman herself.

The first time he had merely stood there, blinking stupidly at the bars in front of him, oblivious to the sound of the rain hammering down on the windows and the sudden flashes of lightning illuminating the tiny cell one moment and then banishing it into darkness once more.

It didn't take him long to bribe her fellow prisoner (an xenophobic human arsonist with bad breath) and he discovered that she had finally been released, given her pardon shortly after assisting a group of clerics in an undercover mission on a ship named Byzantium.

_So, that's where they were up to huh? _

At first, the Doctor had been mildly surprised that she hadn't contacted him since her release, then he became irritated. By the beginning of the next day, he was furious.

She hadn't even left him one of her dramatically elaborate notes, nothing on the psychic paper, no 50ft high letters carved into a cliff face.

If he didn't know better, it would almost seem that that she was avoiding him.

He'd stopped off at the Pond's off course, first opportunity he got, to "subtly" gather any information he could on her whereabouts.

Instead he'd ended up spilling the whole story on Amy and Rory's couch over tea and biscuits.

"Has-has she been around here? At all?" he'd asked after he'd finished explaining and was surprised to hear the desperation in his own voice.

Amy and Rory had exchanged an uneasy glance at this before the former had turned slowly to The Doctor and said, in a sympathetic voice,

"Well, she mentioned going back to university Doctor." She had begun, reaching out to grasp his hand before pulling back quickly.

Rory had edged his chair closer to The Doctor's and patted him on the back as Amy went on,

"She said she'd to tell you she'd be staying on campus but she mentioned calling on you soon."

"THEN WHY HASN'T SHE?" he had cried, his voice wavering as he gestured erratically, "She could have called, she could have visited!"

"Calm down Doctor, I'm sure she's fine" Rory replied, but The Doctor had watched him exchange another worried glance with Amy as if they were holding something back.

"She's a big girl Doctor, she can handle herself." Amy whispered, and as she had looked up, their eyes had met and the Doctor could see that her words were meant to console herself as much him.

"How long has it been since she was here?" the Doctor asked in a low voice.

"What?" Rory asked, confused.

"How long?" The Doctor asked, louder that time, more to Amy.

He saw her bottom lip tremble before the words gushed out before she could stop herself,  
>"Three weeks. But we didn't think anything was wrong, we thought she'd be off with you!"<p>

He had left the Pond residence shortly after that, leaving Amy and Rory in each others arms.

Three weeks. _Three entire bloody weeks_, searching for any trace of River Song. Such an infamous name known throughout the universe, _the woman who killed the Doctor_, and yet, it was as if she simply vanished.

Obviously the next course of action had been to go track down her university. That wasn't too hard, The Lunar University actually took pride in counting a psychopathic-murderess as once of it's students. She was on the front page of the first on- campus newsletter that year.

He'd made his inquires to her past lecturer, a daft old man named Professor Candy who was happy enough to give him all the information he needed.

"Ah yes, River Song, lovely young woman, I'll never forget her interview. I asked her why she wanted to study Archaeology and how do you suppose she replied? Not with your cliché, I have an interest in blah-dee-blah, no, she smiles cheekily at me and says, _well Proffesser, to be perfectly honest, I'm just looking for a good man._" Here his fond smile had faded as he went on,

"Course, she got her good man in the end didn't she? The Doctor his name was, no doubt you've heard of him. She was in jail for his murder." He sighed heavily, "Such a bright girl" he muttered, shaking his head.

The Doctor's stomach twisted into a knot, how strange it was to hear someone else speak so openly about it in front of him. Out of habit he pulled the grey porter's cap he wore further down to hide his face.

"So, I heard she came back here," The Doctor muttered, hurriedly changing the subject.

"You're a very informed young man aren't you?" Professor Candy chuckled before he added, with a conspiratorial wink,

"We have her number on her record if you'd like it"

The Doctor had considered this for a second, "I'd prefer to speak to her, _face to face_."

He said seriously, reaching into his pocket to extract a brown wallet which he flipped open and waved in front of the Professor's face. _The Psychic Paper_. The old man suddenly became less familiar with him.

"Oh. I'm sorry Detective but I'm afraid you can't, she disappeared quite suddenly two weeks ago, just after she re enrolled actually." He admitted.

"Do you think she'll be back?" The Doctor pressed on, leaning forward.

"I should hope so, her first thesis is due in two weeks!"

"I see" the Doctor nodded, not really caring.

He had explained not five minutes ago that River was studying something to do about Revolutions. He had also hinted that she was a very hands on sort of person when it came to studying , often going out of her way to gain information, so much so that she would sometimes go off and live particular event.

This didn't help the Doctor so much, there were a million Revolutions scattered throughout all time and Space, it would take years to search every battlefield, every half-dug trench, underground headquarters and bleak displacement camps for any trace of her.

"Did anything, strange, happen on the day she disappeared?"

The professor thought long and hard for a good five minutes, scratching his head, umming and ahhing until he finally said,

"Now that you mention it, there was something strange"

"Go on" The Doctor encouraged, leaning closer to hear.

"Around the same time she left, we had a break in. Someone used a staff access card to gain entry to our Archives. Now, I happen to know the owner of that card, since my own university days. From what I know, Detective, he is locked away writing his next book...on the other side of the galaxy." The Professor stopped there, pausing for dramatic effect.

"Was anything stolen from the Archive?" The Doctor asked quickly,

"Yes, just the one book, there was an empty space in the folder."

"What was it called?"

The old man shook his head and placed his hands on the mahogany desk, folding them together as he replied,

"I'm sorry Detective but the burglar cut the wires on our electronic filing system, it will take days to manually sort through all the books in the Archive to find which one was stolen."

Seeing the disappointment in The Doctor's face the Professor went on, "When we find out I shall let you know at once Detective"

The Doctor nodded, sighing inwardly as he stood up.

"Thank you Professor. Is there anyone else who might know the whereabouts of Ri-Ms Song?"

The professor chuckled as if the Doctor had made a joke,

"Why Detective, just ask anyone on campus, men and woman alike are drawn to her like moths to a flame."

The Doctor felt his jaw stiffen, _like moths to a flame._ The same words he had used back in Utah, disguising its true meaning. It had nothing to do with the TARDIS and temporal; tipping points, this was about him and her. He remembered touching the tip of her nose affectionately, trying to make up for what he'd said before. He'd watched her smile back, her way of forgiving him, setting his heart alight. He was drawn to her, everything about this woman set him on edge.

She was the flame, he was the moth, one of many moths, he now discovered.

He'd left without interviewing anyone else; he couldn't bring himself to, to sit there and listen to there stories and remain unmoved, to not shout at the top of his lungs that _she was his River_. It was just him and her.

But no, he knew that wasn't true, River always did her own thing, she was independent. That's how he knew that wherever she was, it was by her own choice, she was not the kind of woman that let herself be kidnapped, not without making said kidnappers pay.

He had no control over her and he shouldn't any way. He knew, despite any other relationships she maintained, any lovers she took, that he would always be the love of her life and he should at the very least, understand that.

But Somewhere in the back of his mind a nasty voice hissed _maybe she got bored of you, all those years left to live doctor, maybe she didn't want to waste another night on you! Stuck in that prison, waiting all that time, under those conditions, it does things to people, makes then think. _

He stared into the fire of the armchair he now sat in, with the glass of coke in his hand and the same vacant expression on his face that he'd worn for the last three weeks.

Perhaps, he thought, that was why she had left, because _he _was uncompromising and _she _wanted something new.

Maybe, this was the end for him, the final part he would play in her life until the next time, when he would see take her to the singing towers?

".NO!" The Doctor cried, standing up angrily, slopping coke down the front of his cloak.

"Sir?" he heard a confused voice, somewhere to the left of him.

Slightly surprised, the doctor spun around to see who had spoken.

A diminutive green alien with large, inky black eyes looked up at him, dressed in a brown fur coat and holding what appeared to be a ladies handbag.

"Sorry, heard some voices in my head, had to shut them up, there's enough chatter going on here without them joining in too ey?" The Doctor said brightly, all trace of his anxiety no longer evident in his expression.

The alien approached him cautiously and stood on its tiptoes, glancing around at their neighbours before saying in a terrified squeak,

"I was told by Mr Maldovar, (what's left of him you mean the Doctor interjected) that a message arrived for detective john Smith exactly three minutes ago."

Suspiciously the Doctor glanced around to spot the head of Dorium Maldovar, safely cased in a transparent tank, winking back at him from across the room.

_So he had decided to return to life as a double crossing black market dealer then? _The doctor askedhimself. _That's probably how he worked out he was masquerading as a detective. Masquerading, what a funny word, he must use that more often._

"What the message, come on then, don't be shy," The Doctor added in a friendly way, bending down so that he were level with the small alien.

"Analysing Social Discontent in Eastern Europe late 19th century to early 23rd. Written by professor C." The alien recited in a small voice.

"Sorry, what?" The Doctor asked, frowning as he crossed his arms,

"The Book title s-sir, Professor Candy said to say that the book that was stolen was called Analysing social discontent in..." The alien began to recite again before the Doctor cut across him,

"Good Old professor Candy, pulled through in the end didn't he, thank you I'll be off then, Geronimo!" he cried enthusiastically as he kissed the top of the aliens slippery green forehead clumsily dropped the glass of coke in his hands and sprinted to the exit.

_Eastern Europe, 19__th__ to 23__rd__ century, that narrows things down at least. _The Doctor thought as he threw open the double doors of the Maldovarium and strode through them, the fresh air clearing his lungs as well as his mind.

_Three weeks without touching her, without kissing her, without arguing and making up and arguing all over again. The smell of her perfume, the sound of her voice and that hair, those wild, untameable curls. _

He pictured their last kiss from his point of view, so chaste for some reason and far too quick for his liking. he should have held her longer, wrapped his arms around her waist and refused to let her go. For her it would have been years since that kiss, would she even remember it?

He hadn't been able to say it freely before, or perhaps he didn't allow himself to say it, but he could now, _he __ached for her_. And the thought that maybe she didn't ache for him too, was too much to bear.

He had to know, he had to see her, _**the curiosity would plague him until he found out the truth.**_

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><p><em>I'ma take a moment to explain why that last bit is in bold. Because River thinks the same thing in the Prolouge and I'm trying to point out how similar The Doctor and his part-timelord uh, Lady Friend are :)<em>

_Oks, Pre-Revolutionary Russia here we come (Next Chapter)_

**_PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW I REALLY WANNA KNOW IF THERE"S ANY POINT IN CONTINUING WITH THIS! _**


	3. Undisclosed Desires

Ok_ sweeties Pre-Revolutionary Russia just as promised, _

_also, in response to my last review, Alex Kingston (who potrays River Song) has said in an interview that Stormcage is a "terrible place" Also if you look at River's prison uniform in the Pandorica Opens, it clearly hasn't been washed for a while. (as the fake article in Chap. one suggests) I wasn't trying to show that it was "hell." Just a fictional characters point of view on the prison. Even in this fic there are activists campaigning for "better rights." it isnt my view, just a characters. :)_

_Anyways, The title of this chapter comes from the song by Muse. _

_also, I'm dedicating this Chap. to **JinxedEuphoria **_A.K.A Charlie. _My fellow Archaeology student seeing as I created the charcter of "Jonathon Book" ( who's name comes from John Book, who was portayed by one of Charlie's fav actors, Harrison Ford, in the movie Witness) Just a little joke I thought I'd add!_

_Ok guys, enjoy. _

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><p><strong>Chapter two: Undisclosed Desires<strong>

_The following is part of an interview transcript between Archaeologist Grace Hope and renowned journalist K.C Williams discussing aspects of the elaborate career of Dr. Hope's late husband. (Professor Jonathon Book) In particular, his unusual teaching methods._

**K.C:** Dr. Hope, you accompanied your husband on many of his expeditions,

**Dr Hope:** (2 second pause) Yes, 15 of them to be precise.

**K.C:** what was your most memorable trip?

**Dr Hope:** (laughs) well, if I had to pick just one, I would say the one we undertook in 5160. The thing about my John was, he loved teaching Archaeology, it was his life. And the way he taught, it was unique; he couldn't just sit in some lecture theater and give a speech. He'd always say, to learn history you had to become history. So what do you suppose he did?

**K.C:** (short pause) You tell me.

**Dr Hope: **He packed up the whole class and took them into the past to see it for themselves.

**K.C:** (intake of breathe) where did you go?

**Dr Hope:** Earth, Russia, 1900's on the verge of revolution, I'll never forget the look on those kid's faces. But that wasn't all…

**K.C:** (gestures for Dr Hope to continue)

**Dr Hope:** We encountered another time traveler, an Archaeologist just like us, oh she was a riot that one, had John and me chasing after her every waking second. I don't think we both really minded though. Without her I don't think my john would have lived to the ripe old age he did. Her and her friend saved our lives twice I recall.

**K.C:** (sound of frantic scratching on paper) I'd be much obliged if you could give me this Archaeologists name.

**Dr Hope:** Certainly, lovely name as I remember, her parents must have been hippies though.

**K.C:** (pause) The name Dr. Hope?

**Dr Hope:** (confused) What? Oh yes silly me, it was Song, Dr. River Song.

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><p><strong><em>St Petersberg Jan 8 1905<em>**

It was an ordinary day for Dominika Petrovosk, trekking the poverty stricken alleyways of St Petersburg in order to hand out rations to the poor.

Snow clung heavily to the rickety old roofs and she could hear the sound of the snow on the ground turning to slush beneath her boots as she walked.

3 months she had been here. Hidden under the safety of crooked lanes and ramshackle houses. She'd all but forgotten her previous life, the adventurous lifestyle she once led as a trigger happy maniac, it all seemed like a fanciful idea in her head, a story from when she was merely a child.

3 months ago she had boarded the train from the somewhere in the East and arrived in the City. She was immediately taken back by the stark contrast between the glorious wealth of the upper class, and the scarcity of food and water available to the poor.

It was one of the reasons she had been quick to join the rising Soviet, those who campaigned for a better life for all.

She'd learnt quickly that the Tsar, Nicholas II, lacked the political experience and charm to deal with his country.

The crushing defeat at Port Arthur almost a week ago had proved that, the Russian government had vastly underestimated the Japanese, and it had cost the Russian people.

To add to that, their morale was low, losing faith in their leader ever day.

Dominika sighed heavily as another street6 urchin tugged at the hem of her dress, holding out his hands to her and asking hoarsely,

"Please, can I have some bread?"

She responded with a smile and reached into the wicker basket she carried to hand the little boy a small slightly stale loaf of bread. It was all she could manage these days, bread prices had gone sky high due to the shortage.

She watched as the boy's face broke into a grin and he said shyly, as if offering his thanks,  
>"your hair is very pretty"<p>

Before running off into the nearest house, clutching his prize as if his life depended on it (which, she reasoned, it probably did)

Dominika smiled after him, allowing herself to forget the plight of this city for just as second, pleased that she had made one child today happy.

"Mika!" a voice called out to her from somewhere down the opposite side of the lane.

She turned slightly, the moment gone in an instant to face the speaker. She was met by a familiar face,

"Alexandra" Dominika called back in the Russian accent she had perfected.

_Alexandra Kollontai_, the name so well known among woman.

Without hesitation the other woman began to walk towards her and "Mika" couldn't help but admire the strength and confidence in her stride.

They embraced warmly, like old friends would before Alexandra went on hurriedly.

"Mika, I have been looking everywhere for you…"

But whatever Alexandra needed her for was drowned out by a sudden noise, originating from everywhere and no where at once, the sound of whirring gears that didn't belong in a pre-industrialized country.

Mika felt her whole life as she knew it come to a crashing halt in front of her at that sound.

These last three months had been a complete lie, walking the streets of St Petersburg, handing out food and water to the needy, organizing secret underground meetings with the Soviet.

This, this wasn't her life, none of it, even her name "Dominika Petrovosk" she was a fraud, living a life she alone had invented, and the ingenious thing was, she had actually come to believe her own cover story!

"Oh god!" she choked out in an appalled tone, stumbling backwards to lean on the wall of the nearest house for support.

The wicker basket slipped from her hands, falling with a thud onto the ground, its contents spilling onto the street.

"Mika" Alexandra cried in shock, reaching forward to help her friend.

Mika shook her head, _she had forgotten why she had really come here, all this time running about, pretending to be someone else and if she knew exactly why. Because she knew this day would come, and she was not ready to face it._

"I'm fine" she cried in a strangled voice, "absolutely fine"

"No you're not dear, wait here, I'll get a Doctor" Alexandra said soothingly, patting her head.

_She was so caring, that was why woman trusted her to lead them. _

Mika laughed like a manic, "Don't worry, one's already on his way!"

"You're delirious, now wait here!" Alexandra said firmly, standing off and hurrying back towards the way she had come, leaving Mika where she was.

The sound of the gears got louder, more insistent, humming a tune that she was all too familiar with.

She wanted to bury her head in her hands and cry but that was what _Mika_ would do, not her, not River Song.

Instead she stood up, stepping away from the wall and holding her head up high as she observed the sight in front of her, a blue telephone box, slowly materializing in front of her, becoming more and more solid by the second.

So he'd found his way here at last, now she would know, after all these months.

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><p>The Doctor could hardly contain his glee as the TARDIS materialized on the small Russian lane. He'd checked the scanner not five seconds ago to see a mass of curly blonde hair, and that was all the indication he needed. River Song was outside, standing on that snow covered street, a mere two meters from his grasp.<p>

The Doctor reached out and opened the door of the TARDIS, stepping into early 20th Century Russia with a ridiculous smile on his face.

He was met with a somewhat cold, calculating stare from River and blasts of frosty air from her their surroundings.

Not the usual smug cry of "Hello Sweetie" or the knowing smirk that usually accompanied the presence of River Song.

The Doctor's smile faltered. He also started to shiver, and it had nothing to do with the temperature.

"Hi honey, I'm home" He attempted to joke in a boyish way.

Instead of her customary response, River crossed her arms and shot him a look that plainly wished him a painful death.

That was not how it was supposed to be, he was the one with every right to be angry after she had just taken off without bothering to let him know where she was going!

"River!" The Doctor cried, gesturing for her to speak, to say something, anything!

She responded to this by slapping him in the face. Hard.

"River!" The Doctor growled again, angry now, as he gingerly prodded his left cheek.

"Don't River me! What the hell are you doing here?" She snapped back menacingly.

Normally the doctor would have retaliated, but after tree weeks without her, he didn't have the strength too.

Instead he did the opposite, reaching for her hand.

She snatched it back, away from his grasp, leaving his own arm to hang in mid-air for a second before he sulkily admitted defeat and withdrew the gesture.

"What are you doing here?" he grumbled back, shoving his hands in his pockets to keep from fidgeting. And to keep them from getting a bad case of frostbite. No that he wanted _her _to know that.

_Did she have some Russian lover out here? Keeping her bed warm on those cold winter nights? Was she into Russians then? Was it a woman? She was a product of the 51__st__ century after all. _

"That!" she replied crisply, "Is none of your business sweetie!" she added, the last word laden heavily with sarcasm.

The Doctor's heart sank, so he was right, she did have someone else.

"But, River, I missed you" the Doctor whined pathetically.

River rolled her eyes, but said nothing for a few seconds, eyeing him up and down as if trying to figure something out.

"And your parents are worried about you!" The Doctor added, looking up at her to see if his words had any effect.

At the mention of Amy and Rory River's expression softened briefly before she replied curtly, "Yes well why you don't hop back in the TARDIS and fly home so you can tell them I'm fine?"

The doctor raised an eyebrow suspiciously, what was she hiding from him? Was it another lover? A string of lovers perhaps? Well, whatever it was he was going to find out!

"No!" He said stubbornly, mimicking her pose and crossing his own arms, despite what the frigid air was doing to his fingers. "I'm not leaving!"

River gave a cry of frustration, "you can't be here!" she cried back desperately.

"WHY NOT?" the doctor retorted angrily.

He was a _time_lord for god's sake; he could go any where in the universe he wanted to!

River looked on the verge of ignoring his question, or at least, avoiding it, before she changed her mind half way and said sadly,  
>"Because, if you're here Doctor, then it contradicts everything I ever thought about you"<p>

And with that she turned on her heel and marched away from him, her long dark green coat trailing the snow as she walked.

The Doctor stared after her for a few seconds in confusion, he wasn't exactly sure why she was here, but at the very least, he consoled himself, it wasn't because she'd found someone else.

His heart lightened a bit at that thought and he finally found his voice, calling out to her before she could turn the corner into the next alley,

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Spoilers!" He heard her say, without turning back.

Grinning the Doctor sprinted to catch up with her,

"River!" he called out, just as she turned into the next street.

The Doctor ran faster, thankful that he now had a way to keep warm.

Just as he was about to turn the same corner however, the snow, now turned to slush, gave way beneath him and he slipped and fell onto the ground, sliding around the corner awkwardly with one leg in front of him and the other stuck out to the side at an odd angle.

He came to a cold, wet and painful stop against the wall of one of the ramshackle old houses, his left boot colliding against it.

Cursing the doctor stood up, hopping on his non-jarred leg as he turned around to see where River had got to.

He was met by two angry looking Russian men who were carrying a spear each which were aimed, (rather threateningly at the doctor's chest)

They were dressed identically in long wool coats with funny hats on their heads that The Doctor quite liked, what he didn't like was the not to friendly expression on their faces.

"Oh, this is not good; this is extremely not very good! River!" The Doctor cried, putting down his other foot slowly and raising his arms in surrender.

"River!' The Doctor cried once more, a bit more hysterically then the last time.

There was a moments silence where the Doctor remained in blind panic, believing that the blonde woman really wasn't going to come to his aid and he couldn't see any other way out of this because let's face it, the Psychic paper was somewhere in his pocket and he really didn't think the men with the spears would let him reach for it.

Thankfully he didn't have to take that risk because he heard River's sigh of frustration from somewhere beyond the two men and her reluctant voice say, "let him go Boris!"

The man on the left, evidently Boris, did not lower his weapon but instead grumbled back, "He could be a spy Dominika!"

"Oh for God's sake Boris look at him, does he look like a deviously intelligent palace spy to you?" River asked the other man sarcastically.

"Hey!" cried The Doctor, drawing himself up to his full height, "I very well could be you know!"

The man named Boris looked him up and down, spat on the ground and with a cry of, "on your head be it" In River's direction he motioned for the other man to lower his weapon, doing the same as he did so.

The Doctor smiled happily, patting Boris on the back, (though he quickly removed his hand when the other man snarled in an intimidating sort of way) and pushed through the two guards to see where River had got to.

She was standing in the doorway of perhaps the most rundown old house he had seen so far, half of her face hidden by the sloping roof above the door frame which ended about two meters to the right, touching the ground.

Without a word River gestured for him to follow her down the whitewashed corridor behind her.

The Doctor ducked his head to enter the building and followed obediently,

"Am I allowed to ask where we're going?" the Doctor enquired sarcastically,

"You can ask yes," River replied stiffly in a tone that was not at all encouraging.

"But you won't tell me?"

"Spoilers" she said ago, a bit more smug then before.

Grumbling the Doctor was forced to admit defeat getting an answer to that particular question, so he decided to change tact,

"So, Dominika huh?"

River shrugged, "a necessary disguise,"

"To disguise what exactly?" The Doctor asked, raising his voice.

This was not at all how he had pictured it.

River chose not to answer him and instead came to an abrupt halt in front a large black door. So abrupt in fact that the doctor walked smack bang into her.

"Ow" He cried, rubbing his nose as river turned briefly to give him an irritated look before pushing open the door and leading the way inside.

The Doctor followed quickly before she could shut the door in his face and glanced around the room they had just entered.

The first thing he noticed is that they were standing on a small landing, from which four stairs led to the ground below.

A wide expanse of luxurious carpet lay spread out before him, complete with fireplace and a comfortable looking sofa. Three large cabinets lined the back wall, filled with a large assortment of handguns.

The Doctor turned to the adjacent wall upon which another cabinet leant against, this one housing bayonets and other larger weaponry.

"Quite the collection, Dr. Song" The Doctor remarked, gesturing to the cabinets.

River's smile didn't quite reach her eyes, but it was a smile nonetheless,

"Well you always liked the fact that I can take care of myself sweetie" she muttered back.

"But you can't use them all at once dear," He added suspiciously,

"Of course I cant you idiot!" River growled back, "They're supplies for the Soviets! That's why we need the guards, to make sure anyone unwanted" she paused to glare nastily at him, "Doesn't get in."

"A rebel now are you?" The Doctor shot back snidely, his voice dropped to a low growl "Oh Dr. Song you bad, bad girl"

He watched in satisfaction as she tried to contain a shiver. At least he knew he still had some sort of power over her.

She turned to face him, staring at him quite intensely for a second d or two, a sad expression in her eyes that he couldn't understand.

Had he done something wrong? Future him anyways, he couldn't think of anything his present self might of done or said.

"River" he began softly, saying her name for the sixth time that day, it was amazing the amount of different tones he could go through saying that one name.

"Tell me" He insisted, moving forward so that his face was mere inches from hers.

He was so close to her now, her lips so close to his own and he had to fight the urge to kiss her. Every time she drew breath he could feel it across his face, like a soft breeze.

He seemed to be having the same effect on her as she had on him and for a moment it seemed like she was going to tell him everything, and then the spell was broken and she stepped back, running a hand through her hair and shaking her head to clear it of her thoughts,

"I have to go, there's a ball up at the palace with my name on it, and-and oh dear lord, Alexandra!" She cried suddenly, clapping a hand to her forehead.

"AHA!" the Doctor cried, half-triumphant half-disappointed, "so there is some one else!"

"What?" River asked, completely baffled for a second or two before she caught on, "no, of course not you idiot! I mean Alexandra Kollontai! She thinks I'm still in the alley, I have to go back!"

The Doctor's eyes widened and he suddenly became much more animated, he opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by River's finger on his lips,

"Don't. Even. Start." She hissed, "You're not going to meet her Doctor, because you're going to get into the TARDIS and fly back to mummy and father and tell them I'm perfectly fine."

The Doctor pushed her finger away and drew himself up to his full height, fixing his bowtie in an important manner, "Yes, of course" he began, watching the look of surprise on River's face at the lack of argument.

"After, I escort you to this ball thing!" He added with a smug a smile. _There was no way he'd allow her to prance off to some party with other people!_

* * *

><p>20 minutes later he found himself lying at on odd angle on the carpet, having been knocked out cold by River.<p>

_Well,_ he reasoned, picking himself off the ground to look up at her observing him silently from he couch, _she didn't __**say **__no did she?_

"I take it that's a yes then?" he said hopefully.

It was a long time before he woke up the second time she punched him in the face.

* * *

><p><em>Hope you liked it! <em>

_I would really like to continue because I have the next couple of Chapters already planned out_

_but I'm not too sure anymore,_

_PLease review and tell me if you're liking it so far or not :)_

_P.s I fully intend, if I do continue, to introduce Dr Hope and her Husband into the story next chap. along with some famous faces ;) _


	4. My Heart Beats Out Of Time

**Dedication:** _For MintaClaire, I know she's been waiting a long time for Rasputin to make an appearance! Hope you like it sweetie! :) _

**_Warning: This Chapter does contain swearing!_**

_Anyways, the Chap title comes from Jessie J's Domino!_

_also, as promised, Professor John Book and his wife Grace (two of my oringal creations) are introduced here! _

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three: My Heart Beats Out Of Time<strong>

_The following is a transcript from a short documentary entitled "The petty bourgeoisie." Speaking here is Professor Conrad Daniel Garth, a leading historian of revolutions on Earth and faithful member of the Church. The documentary was first broadcast on the 9__th__ of September 5160, 6 weeks after his tragic death on Calypso1 while writing his next novel. This transcript is unedited and therefore contains a language warning. _

(Camera focuses slowlyon a man in a large brown armchair.)

Prof. Conrad: For fucks sake can't you get that camera steady?

(Camera man mumbles apology)

Prof. Conrad: Yes you'd better be sorry, can I start now? I have a lecture in an hour, (voice drops) more little fuckers to deal with.

Director: And action!

Prof. Conrad: Right, hello there, I'm pro-

(Interrupted by director)

Director: Woh! Woh! What are you doing?

Prof. Conrad: Well they have to know who's talking to them. Could be any bastard in an expensive suit couldn't it?

Director: ..!

Prof. Conrad: Ok, ok, now where the fuck was I? Oh yeah, (Voice suddenly becomes more professional) Vladimir Lenin despised the upper class, and you couldn't really blame the poor bastard. (Loud cough in background) They threw elaborate parties while the poor were starving outside, oblivious to the peoples suffering, they really only cared about themselves and advancing their own kind. In fact, the bourgeoisie were part of the reason why the Dumas were a total failure. Nicholas II, bless the spineless idiot, finally woke up and gave the people a place to air out their grievances only to have the upper class come in with a wrecking ball and completely destroy it! (Laughs harshly) Of course it didn't help that the Tsar was hosting some of those parties.

Director: And cut!...I think we're done here.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Soviet Weapons House, Jan 8th 1905<em> **

The Doctor leaned against the wall, his sleek black top hat sliding down to half hide his face as he fiddled with the diamond topped cane in his hand and started to hum a tune.

He and River had argued for just over two hours, (the fight involving several pot plants being thrown angrily at his head.) Before she had been forced to admit defeat, not because the Doctor had managed to convince her of anything no, rather because she knew he would pester the living daylights out of her before she gave in.

River had managed, the Doctor now realized, to subtly get her revenge by making him wait for an exceedingly painful amount of time while she got ready.

He was finished in less then 5 minutes, dressed in a smart black tuxedo (courtesy of the TARDIS wardrobe) and looking every inch the upper class gentlemen, _not that River cared_, The Doctor thought, somewhat disappointed at her reaction, or rather, her lack of one.

The woman had looked him up and down, scoffed and excused herself from the room to go and change.

For the last hour and a half she'd locked herself in her bedroom, (which, he found out quickly, adjoined the room she had first led him into.)

"So" the Doctor said, looking down at his cane as he spun it from hand to hand.

"You're some sort of double agent then?"

"Uh-aha" River called back from her bedroom, "Mika the Soviet by day and_ Lady_ Dominika the aristocrat by night. "

Her voice was warm and rich, just as she usually would have sounded. The Doctor smiled at the sound.

"Where are we up to now?" She asked back.

"We travelled through the red galaxy just over three weeks ago, " The Doctor replied, the smile widening as he remembered the look of pure wonder on her face as he threw upon the TARDIS doors to show her what was considered one of the wonders of the universe.

"Where are you?" he dared to ask, knowing the reply he'd get.

Sure enough River gave her usual smug cry of "Spoilers!" and he could just hear the smirk in her voice.

"Well, how long has it been since you saw me?" the Doctor asked back, a slight whine in his voice.

He heard nothing for a full minute before she replied in a reluctant voice "3 months"

"What?" The Doctor yelped, standing up straight and adjusting his hat so that it was safely back in its right place.

* * *

><p>River ran around her room franticly like a headless chicken, wringing her hands in despair. That man, that impossible, annoying smug bastard, he just had to go and show her up didn't he?<p>

She had planned this night perfectly before he showed up, her dress lay spread on the white covers of her king sized mattress. Her shoes lay at the foot of the bed. All ready for her to try on.

But no, she couldn't now, not after he had gone and found that suit! That suit, with the cane and the ridiculously charming top hat that rested over his brilliant chestnut hair, under that handsome face with the twinkling eyes that seemed so ancient and so young at the sa- _stop it River!_ She commanded herself angrily, _you're not supposed to be praising him, his ego is big enough already._

She turned wistfully to glance at the simple white dress lying expectantly on the bed.

She was River Song for god's sake! She could make anything work and she certainly didn't need anyone else's approval!

But the Doctor, well, he was her one weakness now wasn't he? And she was constantly aware of that the more time she spent in his company.

Sighing she had to admit defeat and turned to the wardrobe behind her, throwing it open and (cursing the Doctor under breath) hastily began to sift through its contents.

And all she wanted for tonight was to meet the girl from her favorite storybook. Instead she had ended up with Amy's raggedy Doctor.

* * *

><p>The Doctor almost jumped when he heard the door creak open, after all that time waiting, he actually didn't expect River to emerge from that room.<p>

He spun around clumsily, holding onto his cane for supported and looked up. The Doctor's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe his eyes.

River Song stood in the doorway, dressed in a sweeping floor length gown of cream silk and black lace, with matching long black gloves. Her blonde curls were swept up in an elegant bun, though, true to its nature, a few strands had escaped to hover above her shoulder.

The Doctor stood stock still, unable to do anything else except take in her appearance, his eyes darting to all sorts of places that made River glare.

"Well?" She hissed.

The Doctor gulped, trying to take a step forward he lost his footing and had to rely on his cane once more for support.

"Y-y-y-you look…."

"I look?" River asked in mildly amused now as she crossed her arms and leaned on the doorway.

The Doctor racked his brain for appropriate words to use and (unfortunately for River) found the one which, in his opinion, was the highest compliment he could give,

"Cool" He said with a broad smile.

River's eyes narrowed but she said nothing and turned away from him, hurriedly straightening her dress as she did so,

"Well" she said loudly as if he were standing across the room, "we'd better leave now before the snow gets too bad"

"River" the Doctor began, reaching for her arm; she brushed him off easily and turned around again, heading for the stairs.

"Wouldn't want to keep the Tsar waiting would we?"

"River, wait!" The Doctor called after her, scanning the room franticly for any of the remaining pot plants he could found.

His eyes landed on the perfect one, in total contrast to the weapons cabinet it was situated on.

"What?" River asked back, pausing at the floor of the stairs with her back turned to him.

"You're missing something!" The Doctor cried back, reaching for the flowerpot.

"Like what, a bowtie?" River responded sarcastically.

"Bowties are cool!" The Doctor cried back indignantly, as he finished what he was doing and hurriedly ran over to the stairs, jumping over the couch as he did so (because going around it was far to time consuming in his opinion)

He came to a halt behind River and without a word, reached up and placed the last chamomile flower in the room delicately behind her ear.

"There," he cried triumphantly, clapping his hands, "perfect!"

"Now Dr Song," The Doctor whispered in her ear, his voice low, "I believe I am your escort tonight!"

"Oh you can be my escort any night!" River winked back before she could stop herself.

For a second they stood there, simply staring at eachother, The Doctor's hand still behind her ear before she coughed and he hastily removed it, both of them coming to there senses.

Smiling casually as if nothing had happened, The Doctor held his arm out to River.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Tsar's Winter Palace, Same Date<strong>_

"Your names please?" An Old Russian man asked politely, dressed in an impeccable black suit. When they did not answer at once he repeated the question, in French, English and German before The Doctor cut across him,

"Sir John Smith," He said indicating to himself importantly, "and lady Domi-"He began to say; indicating to River but the man waved him off and bowed extravagantly to his wife, saying as he did so,

"Lady Dominika, a pleasure as always" and much to the Doctor's distaste, River held her hand out to the other man who gently took it in his own and placed a kiss of the back of her hand.

The old man gestured for them to enter the ball room and The Doctor did so as quickly as possible, practically dragging River with him.

"What's wrong?" River asked, batting her eyelashes in mock innocence.

In reply the Doctor huffed and lifted his head up, swinging his cane erratically so that he almost knocked the heads off a couple of the statues which lined the hallway.

Rolling her eyes River, reached up to straighten his bowtie, her hand rested on his chest for a second before she withdrew it and said in a comforting tone, "he's not half the man your are sweetie."

Before she turned away and muttered, "He's more"

"I heard that!" The Doctor whined and River chuckled nastily, gesturing to the room in front of them,

"For god's sake Doctor, we're about to meet the Russian Aristocracy!"

"River" the Doctor called out distractedly, tapping her on the shoulder.

"What?" She snapped, turning back to him.

The Doctor lowered his voice, "that statue over there," He began in an urgent tone,

"Yes" River whispered back suspiciously,

"Well, it's not a statue"

Frowning, River looked behind them to see what the Doctor was talking about, her eyes passed over it for a second before she realized, a man stood between two of the statues, as lifeless as the marble surrounding him.

He had a tall willowy body and wore loose black garments, which matched his wild beard and strangely hypnotic eyes that River couldn't tear her gaze away from.

The man was calmly observing the pair of them and she had the nasty feeling that he had been doing so for quite some time.

She cleared her throat loudly and addressed the man in a neutral voice, "Good evening"

The man said nothing in reply but swept his hands out before him dramatically and began to approach them, seemingly gliding across the floor. He came to a halt before the Doctor, his crooked nose inches away from the Timelord's.

The Doctor raised his eyebrows and exchanged a glance with River before he held out his hand and began to speak in a loud, carrying voice, "Hello There, I'm Sir John Smith…."

Before he could go on, the man interrupted in a low voice that sent shivers up River's spine,

"You are an imposter, a traveler from so far away, you come from a land that has long since burned to the ground, and from the ashes you rose and took flight like a phoenix, flying on and on" The man gestured up to the sky, leaving River and The Doctor standing where they are, a look of pure shock etched on both their features.

There was a moment silence before The Doctor spoke in a warm friendly voice that not at all matched the coldness of his eyes, "well, that's a nice party trick isn't it?" he laughed, turning to River and indicating that she laugh as well.

She didn't of course.

"This is no trick, _Doc-toh_ , I know that you do not come from this country, nor this Earth, but from the depths of space and time." The man went on, his voice rising spectacularly.

"Who are you?' River asked, frowning at the man.

He did not reply but rather stepped back and with one swift movement reached his hands forward and threw what looked like a handful of white powder onto the ground, a puff of green smoke rose from the floor, covering the whole room in seconds.

Both The Doctor and River coughed and spluttered, The Doctor raising his arm to swat t he smoke away but it was no use.

After a few seconds the smoke began to clear of its own accord and River immediately looked up to the spot where the man had been.

Unsurprisingly, he had disappeared.

"What was that all about?" She asked in confusion.

The Doctor shrugged, staring at the empty space between the two statues. "I don't know, but I don't think he was exactly human."

"You mean because he has a flair for the dramatic to the point where he looks like an idiot?" River asked meaningfully, a sharp edge in her voice.

But the Doctor was already lost in the thought of another possible adventure.

He turned to River and asked, "Shall we go investigate Mrs. Robinson?"

River smiled back affectionately

"I hate you!"

"No you don't"

And with that they strode into the ballroom. The space was magnificent, elaborate gold leaf Corinthian pillars glittered proudly in the light thrown off by a 5 tier chandelier.

Underneath the Chandelier, the Russian high society danced in flawless gowns and spotless suits.

"Well, it should be easy to find our mystery man here" River whispered in the Doctor's ear, gesturing to the crowd in front of them. "I have some friends, you might like to meet" she added as an afterthought.

She pointed to a couple standing next to one of the pillars on the left of the room, deep in conversation with one and other.

And with that River began to walk towards them, The Doctor lagging behind, turning this way and hat to take in everything, "Russians!" He muttered excitedly, "I love the Russians!"

River rolled her eyes and said nothing, focusing instead on the couple before her, she could now here there conversation over the music.

"All I'm saying is Lenin could have handled himself better, he went a bit crazy at the end you know, a bit like you when you don't have your morning cup if coffee!" The woman was grumbling, the glass of wine in her hand swaying dangerously as she swung her hands around wildly to elaborate her point.

"Yes, because having a bullet lodged in his shoulder is not a perfect explanation for his _craziness_ as you so eloquently put it my dear. Remind me where you got your degree again?" The man hissed back sarcastically.

"Oh! So now we're evaluating my credentials are we?" The woman shot back, this time managing to slop wine over her black evening gloves.

River coughed loudly, staring between the both of them. The couple jumped and looked around wildly, catching sight of the blonde woman in front of them and the man behind her,

"Why Ms Song" The man said in a fond sort of tone that made the Doctor frown.

"Mrs. Song actually" The Time Lord informed the other man gruffly,

Just as River said, "Dr. Song"

Both turned to glare at the other,

"River?" The Doctor hissed

"Doctor" River replied mockingly, making the other woman beam down at them,

"Oh bless them John, they're just like we were,"

"We are?" River and The Doctor said as one, glancing at eachother warily.

"Oh yes, exactly like us" The man added, holding out his hand to the Doctor,

"Professor Jonathan Book and this here is my wife, Doctor Grace Hope." Without waiting for The Doctor to reply the man's wife added,

"You must be The Doctor; River's told us so much about you"

"She has?" The Doctor asked in mild surprise.

"Oh yes," Grace went on and her husband nodded, "not a day goes by when we don't here the tales about the oncoming storm!" she chuckled.

Next to him, The Doctor could see River franticly attempting to change the conversation, "yes, well, we all love a good fairytale don't we? Now, the child…." She began in a flustered kind of way.

Professor Book caught on at once, "Yes, the child, well, on that note, I think I can safely say we have made some progress" He paused to glance around the room suspiciously before dropping his voice as he went on, "we have been granted an audience with the Royal Family, just for an hour, but it's progress nonetheless"

"Yes, the child" The Doctor added as if he completely understood what was going on, "sorry, what child?" he asked a few seconds later after he realized that no one was going to elaborate.

Grace began to explain, only to be cut off by River, "well, it was lovely to see you both again, must be off, we're in a bit of a hurry, you understand I'm sure"

And with that she shoved The Doctor roughly back into a group of Russian Ladies who batted him angrily with their painted fans, grumbling loudly about the rudeness of their men counterparts.

"River-ow-what are you-ow-doing?" The Doctor cried as the women continued to beat every inch of him.

"'" River hissed angrily through gritted teeth.

"It could alter time!" she cried out as the Doctor finally managed to free himself from both her and the Russian aristocrats.

He paused to straighten out his suit before replying coldly, "Time is not the boss of me! Besides, Time can be re-written!"

"Not all of it" River muttered back sadly. "Not this time"

* * *

><p><em>dun dun dun!<em>

_leaving it off there, more to follow though, I hope._

_Did you like it? hate it? Indifferent? _

**_Please Review and Let me know!_**


	5. From Russia, With Love

_So I finally got the time to update, sorry for the long wait, I've been busy with uni, _

_anyways, the title of the chapter comes from_** Ian Fleming's** novel of the same name (as well as the movie)

I thought it fitted seeing as The Doctor is kinda like James Bond with the changing faces and the endless stream of women XD

also, this chapter does get a little steamy (don't say I didn't warn you!)

enjoy

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four: From Russia,With Love<strong>

_The following is an extract from a collection of journals stored in the Earth: Individuals section of the Lunar University's catalogue, in particular, a character profile on Nicholas II, Tsar of Russia. It was compiled by J.C Carr-Michael who descends from a long line of Historians who are also great friends of the Church. The Carr-Michael Family specifically deals with the quadrant of the universe that the planet Earth resides in. J.C is also a former student of the late Professor Jonathon Book and accompanied the Professor on one of his first student-orientated expeditions to Russia, during the first Great Russian Revolution. Please note that this is merely a small piece of the full profile. _

**Name: **Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov(Csar/Tsar Nicholas II)

**Spouse:** Alix Viktoria Helena Feodorvna Beatrice (Empress Alexandra Feodorvna Romanova) _(for further information refer to section 60) _

**Offspring:** Grand Duchesses Olga, Tataina, Maria and Anastasia. Tsarevich Alexei

**Character aspects (observations)** Nikolai is a proud man, proud of his Royal Lineage, this makes him a difficult being to converse with. One must always be reminded of the social standing, that is to say, to be aware that he is, at all times, the supreme authority at any time. This coupled with his inability to both lead and charm his people is what ultimately lead to his downfall. It is evident that Nicholas was in capable in the way he spoke; his voice did not carry that grace and tact one normally associates with a competent leader. It stands to reason, that he was pampered by those surrounding him, as he does in turn to his son. His unusual and rather out of character dependency on Rasputin also contributed to his lack of political skills, the ball held in Rasputin's honor in 1905 shows that Nicholas did not have his peoples best interests at heart, and in some ways, perhaps, he did not care.

* * *

><p><strong>Winter Palace St Petersburg Jan 8<strong>**th**** 1905**

"How can it alter time?" the Doctor asked for the millionth time that night, clumsily running down the elaborate hallway, bumping into ornamental vases atop grand pedestals and various statues that just seemed to get in his way.

"Spoilers!" River hissed back in annoyance, holding her the sides of her dress so that she could speed up her walk in an effort to shake him off.

"I need to know!" The Doctor cried back, finally catching up with her.

He turned to the side so that he could observe her better. Her expression was neutral, unreadable, as it normally got when she wanted to hide something from him.

"Just telling you could rip a hole in time, you yourself said…" She began angrily before he cut her off,

"Rule one, The Doctor lies" He growled back, swinging his cane in the air and managing to accidentally knock one of the marble heads off a statue this time. "I'm not leaving until you tell me!"

"And by staying you create the event" River laughed in a harsh mocking way, "An endless Paradox that will exist beyond all life, never ending"

"But that's _us_ River" The Doctor murmured softly. As he said so he turned so that he was now in front of her, forcing her to halt.

There eyes met, "That's how we-how we live"

She sighed, knowing every word of it was true. _The Doctor and the woman who murdered him, an endless paradox, scattered throughout time and space, interwoven into the very fabric of the universe, this was something they couldn't escape because not even death would set them free. One of them could die tomorrow and the other would keep on meeting them for years to come, that was how it was._ How it would always be, like a circle.

"I can't tell you," River paused, her eyes searching his, "Not just yet anyway"

The Doctor was on the verge of retorting, but the look on her face said it all, she would not yield, and he had to be content with that, "Ok" he grumbled, looking down at the floor and sliding his foot across the carpet awkwardly as he did so.

At that moment they were interrupted by the sound of hurried foot steps coming from the end of the hallway that led to the ballroom.

Both turned to see professor Book and his wife running towards him, a look of delight etched upon their aging features.

They paused briefly, Grace leaning on John's shoulder so that she could remove her heels before they took off again, at a much faster rate now that Grace were shoeless.

"High heels, they'll be the death of me I can assure you!" Grace whined, out of breath as soon as they had reached River and the Doctor.

Without waiting for either to reply she turned and addressed the Doctor, "Good to see you stayed, this isn't an opportunity you want to miss"

"Actually he was just…" River began to say in a meaningful tone only to be interrupted by the Doctor,  
>"saying what a special occasion it is, I even got my favorite bowtie out" He smiled warmly to Grace as he subtly reached over to grip River's wrist tightly.<p>

"Would you excuse us for a second, we just need to sort out a uh, domestic issue"

Jonathon and Grace shrugged as one and with that the Doctor steered River into an alcove behind one of the marble statues, spinning her round to face him,

"Domestic issue?' River spat angrily as soon as they were alone, her face livid.

Without bothering to reply to her question the Doctor dropped his cane onto the floor and snaked an arm around her waist pulling her closer to him, pressing his lips urgently to hers. As he did so his free arm reached up to untie her hair which cascaded down her back, allowing him to run his hand through her blonde curls.

At first River began to protest mildly but that soon turned into a moan of longing as she returned his kiss, her own hands reaching up of their own accord, one flipping the top hat off his head carelessly so that she could tussle his messy brown hair, the other cupping the left side of his face so that she could deepen the kiss.

The Doctor responded by gnawing at her bottom lip, earning a low moan of approval. Encouraged by this he moved down, away from her lips to leave feathery kisses along her neck, pulling down her dress with his teeth to expose the bare skin on her shoulder. He listened to her sharp intake of breath and smiled against her skin.

"Why would it alter time?' he asked between kisses, pushing her back against the brick wall of the alcove.

"I-cant-tell-you" River sighed, arching her neck so that he was free to attack it again, pushing away a few strands of her hair as he did so.

"River" The Doctor growled, lightly grazing the side of her neck with his teeth.

She moaned and pushed herself further up along the wall, her hands that were running through his hair tightened their grip.

"There's-stories-about-you" She began, still breathing heavily as he began to trace patterns along her back with his fingers following the lines of her dress.

"What kind of stories?" The Doctor insisted, pressing himself against her so that the only distance between them was the folds of her dress and his trousers.

"That-you-kill" She began, breaking off to give another moan which he silenced by covering her mouth with his.

"I kill?" He insisted after they had broke apart,

River was on the verge of answering, before a loud, rather awkward cough made her stop.

Both she and the Doctor froze, looking at eachother before they turned as one to see Professor Book and his wife watching them with raised eyebrows. Immediately they jumped apart, River smoothing the folds of her dress hurriedly and pushing her blonde curls behind her shoulders, The Doctor clumsily reaching down to extract his top hat and cane.

"I do hate to interrupt but we have more pressing matters to attend to, an audience with the Tsar for instance" Professor Book muttered in a loud voice, though his eyes twinkled in amusement.

"Yes, of course" River replied hurriedly.

"Come on then, time waits for no man" Jonathon said, gesturing to the door on the left.

"Or woman" Grace added irritably, her husband pretended not to hear as they made there way to the door in question, leaving River and the Doctor trailing behind. As soon as there backs were turned the Doctor took the opportunity to whisper roughly in River's ear, "We'll finish this later dear,"

She shivered in delight but elbowing him all the same, before following the other two into the next room.

* * *

><p><strong>Same Date, Same Location<strong>

Just like the hallway, the room they entered was spectacularly decorated, no expense was spared it seemed, for the royal family.

Every square inch of furniture that would normally have been metal, marble or wood was painted in gold leaf, the shine of which refracted blindly into there eyes.

Porcelain ornaments covered the mantel piece along with several hand painted dolls, the faces of the dolls were masked by the shadows of the fire below, around which a cluster of ornate chairs was grouped, all were already occupied.

Standing in front of the large window which filled majority of the right wall, a figure dressed in high ranking military wear stood, his back to the door.

Upon hearing the exclamation of delight form Dr Hope however, the figure turned in a regal manner; the other figures perched on the chairs looking up curiously.

"I agreed for only three people" The man cried in an arrogant sounding tone, as soon as he laid eyes on the newcomers.

"I know you're majesty, but this is uh" Jonathon began to speak, bowing to the man as he turned to the Doctor for help.

"Sir John Smith, sorry, couldn't resist, meeting the Tsar and his family? Who'd pass that up?" The Doctor began in his usual fast-paced tone.

Before the other man could protest he came right up to him and clasped his hand like an old friend, "Niki" The Doctor cried in a fond tone before spinning on the heel of his boot so that he faced the figures seated by the fireplace walking up to them and shaking there hands one by one as well,

" and this must be the missus, hello there, good to meet you and there's Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia of course" he looked up and winked at River,

"your favorite I think" he said, pointing to the small girl who sat on the end of the group, dressed in a white frock with red ribbons threaded through her hair.

"Doctor" River began warningly but he ignored her and turned back to the last figure, a young boy who seemed much frailer then the rest of the group.

"And little Alexei the heir apparent I believe"

"Doctor" River hissed again, but the Doctor was much to excited to care,

"So Nicholas, ruling a country, need any help with that I mean, Russia ay? Pretty big," The Doctor went on with a knowing wink in the tsar's direction, utterly oblivious to everyone else's discomfort,

"Doctor!" River cried once more just as Nicholas II roared, "who is this Englishman?"

"He is no Englishman" A low, mysterious voice hissed from a dark corner at the back of the room.

Everyone turned at once to look at the place the voice had issued from.

There was a puff of familiar green smoke and from its depths the figure of a tall dark man appeared, one whose face the Doctor and River had encountered once before.

From the fire the Tsarina Alexandra gave a sigh as the man spoke again his voice echoing around the room in a low, powerful tone.

"He is a being without a home, with a hidden name and hidden purpose, a dark angel, cast him out of your home, banish the thought of him from your minds before his poison spreads and a dreadful fate will await you"

There was a stunned silence after that, ten pairs of eyes were focused unblinkingly on the Doctor, the eleventh, belonging to the mysterious man in the shadows, was trained on the fire with such intensity it was almost as if he could see straight through it.

Then the Doctor's face broke into a grin and he cried in an enthusiastic tone of voice, "well, now that we've got the party tricks out of the way," he began with a nod in the strangers direction.

He was halted by the Tsar who held up a shaking hand and said in an angry tone, "This is no trickery, how dare you insult our esteemed guest for whom this gathering tonight was arranged in honor of. You have insulted my most loyal servant, and in my own household,"

"Bit more then a house if you ask me" Dr, Grace put in loudly from the back, her husband hushed her with a well placed elbow to the ribs.

"Right, yes, honored guest, of course, which would be…" The Doctor asked, fishing for clues as to the identity of the man.

From her place by the fire the Tsarina looked to her husband and said in a hushed tone, "Take pity husband, he is after all a foreigner such as myself." And with that she turned towards the Doctor in a very regal manner and with her head held high (as if to remind them all of the social standing)

"This, is none other then our savoir, you are a Doctor yes? Well know then Doctor that no medicine in this land could make my little Tsarevich better, until Grigori Rasputin graced our threshold." As she said this the Tsarina smiled warmly at the figure in the corner,

"Rasputin?" The Doctor asked in a stunned tone, turning to look at the man in the corner, "well," he muttered, glancing behind him briefly at River, "that explains our mystery man"

"So, you're the famous holy man then" He began with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as he turned back to Rasputin. He walked strode towards the other man briskly so that they were face to face.

"Then you know the truth" He growled in a low voice so that the others couldn't hear. Rasputin stared at him, his face neutral as the Doctor went on, "Hemophilia? You know that's not it,"

"I do not know what you speak of Doctor" Rasputin growled back, his eyes flicking over to the boy on the chair.

"Lupine-wavelength Haemovariform, passed down through the Royal families of Europe from Queen Victoria herself in 1879."The Doctor hissed.

"Your words mean nothing to me" Rasputin replied, but his eyes darted back to Alexei again, betraying him.

"Don't play games with me, don't ever think you're capable of that! I was there, I saw it happen. What happens every full moon. Simple to treat, with as mind like yours cos you've seen it before haven't you? You use light treatment, the right frequency to control the transformation. And you know this because you're like me, the last of your kind" The Doctor hadn't noticed his voice had risen steadily so that his last sentence was heard by everyone in the room.

"Good Heavens, Rasputin is an alien?" Professor Book cried in astonishment, "I certainly didn't see that coming"

"Of course he is an Alien" a young female voice said from near the fire.

River looked over to find the speaker and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was none other then Anastasia.

"You knew that?" She asked the girl, slowly walking over so that she could get a better glimpse of her face.

_In the orphanage she was never given books, toys yes, but never books, they seemed to think that Books would give her too many ideas. But when she escaped, and was finally reunited with her parents, she was free to discover literature and she found that she enjoyed it, one book in particular._

_In 1997 the movie had been released, but Mels had waited until she had devoured each chapter oif the book before finally, she allowed herself to take a bus into the next town by herself and watch it at the cinema._

_Amy had Pandora's Box, for River it was Anastasia._

_It was the perfect tale, the grand duchess who was reduced to squalor, brought up in an orphanage, and for little Mels in 1997, it echoed her own life in way. A past, locked away under misery, just waiting to be rediscovered. As time went by and Mels became River Song, the story stayed in her head, ever growing, Anastasia had Dmitri, she had The Doctor. _

_And just like Anastasia, she chose her lover over everything. _

_More time would pass, and the parallels she had drawn would cease to be nothing but a childish dream._

_And now, finally, she had the chance to meet the real life Anastasia, maybe even play a part in her escape, because, foolish as it may sound, she had always believed the stories that the last grand Duchess did indeed escape. _

"What do you mean, of course?" River asked in a slightly dazed tone as she, tilted her head to the side to observe the young girl more carefully.

"He's a Serbian isn't he? A Foreign alien just like your Doctor there" The Child replied in a casual tone, shrugging which made her mother frown in annoyance,

"Don't shrug, it is unladylike _mein lieber_" The Tsarina cried, making River smile as she crouched down in front of the girl's chair,

"Don't worry" she chuckled, "I'm always in trouble with my parents" she added, winking.

Anastasia giggled, putting her hands up to cup her face, much to her mother's disapproval.

"Ladies of the court do not behave in this way, Lady…?" The Tsarina huffed.

Ignoring the hostility in her voice River replied simply, "Dominika Petrovosk"

At this the Tsar looked over, a frown etched on his forehead, "You were the woman who sent that message" he said slowly as the Doctor suddenly became curious

"What message?" He asked, walking back over to join the conversation.

The Tsar held his head higher and replied in a haughty tone, "that is none of your concern, I am the Tsar and this woman is one of my own court"

"And she's my wife," The Doctor retorted angrily. He turned to look at River, "what message?" he demanded.

"Spoilers" River replied in a final sort of tone, carelessly glancing at him before turning back to the child.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Note<strong>: According to Google Translate, Mein Lieber is German for "my dear" this was included as the Tsarina herself was German._

_Hope you liked it, _

_**PLEASE REVIEW I"M DYING FOR FEEDBACK, GOOD OR BAD :)**_


	6. We Decide That It's Forever

_Hello guys, sorry this took so long, _

_I've been really busy getting my Archaeology Assignment finished _

_but I've got the week off for Easter so I finally have some time! _

_anyways, the Chapter name comes from Train's If it's Love _

_enjoy sweeties! _

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five: We Decide That It's Forever<strong>

_The following is a sub paragraph extracted from a pamphlet entitled, "Time Travel: Leave it to the experts." The Pamphlet was written by various members of the Time Agency in association with the Luna University in 5160, as part of a program which aimed to educate the population on the dangers of Time Travel, an ability normally attributed solely to the agency itself. The Pamphlets in question were placed at the entrance of the University and are free to any who wish to take one._

**Sometimes Events Happen That Cloud Our Judgment. **

Imagine that someone you love has died.

Now imagine that you held the power to save them from their fate, to travel back into the past and either warn or rescue them.

Moral Dilemma's such as this often arise when the topic of _**Time Travel**_ comes into play. While saving a loved one from the hands of fate may seem like the right thing to do, it could also prove problematic.

If you were to prevent the Death of someone by travelling back in time to do so, the result would be a _**paradox**_, a hole in the fabric of the universe could be ripped open and many others would die in the place of the one you saved.

_**Time Agents**_ have a responsibility to mend the Universe according to the _**laws of Time**_, but it is the duty of each individual to uphold these laws.

That is why _**Time Travel **_should only ever be attempted by an experienced _**Time Agent or Member of The Archaeological Society**_ who has been trained to understand, and ultimately, with the strength to withstand moral issues such as this.

* * *

><p><strong>Winter Palace, St Petersberg, Jan 08 1912<strong>

The Doctor stood in the corner, hands crossed as he leaned against the wall, silently fuming. River ignored him of course as she carried on chatting to her _**other **_childhood hero.

_Look at her,_ he thought angrily, _flouncing off (oh, another word he should really use more often) dancing around the question with her usual excuse. How dare she keep things from him? He, the oncoming storm, the destroyer of worlds, her own husband! _He gritted her teeth as he watched her joke with the Tsar as if they were old friends, smile friendlily at Anastasia and ignore his presence. _What was she not telling him? _

He jerked back in surprise as a voice next to him said in a sympathetic manner, "Ahh you my friend have a case of the green eyed monster"

"Sorry, What?" The Doctor asked, turning to his left to find himself face to face with Professor Book.

"I had it myself, London, England, 1599. We wanted to experience the hierarchy of the time. Grace fit in quite nicely, to nicely for my liking." Book replied with a knowing smile.

He gestured to the fireplace and the Doctor's attention darted there as Book began to speak again, "What ever she's hiding Doctor, she has a good reason, and, honestly, I believe she's trying to protect you"

"Protect me?" The Doctor scoffed, his eyes never leaving the figure seated on the floor, deep in conversation with the youngest grand duchess, "Protect me from what?"

"From yourself!" Book replied sternly, and without waiting for a reply he strode back to his wife who was admiring the craftsmanship of the room.

The Doctor sank back against the wall, resuming his watch over River, but in a new light, _Donna had always said, he needed someone to stop him, perhaps this was what it was all about?_

With that thought in mind He stood up straight and walked towards the fireplace, coming to a halt before Anastasia's chair and lowering himself to sit cross legged on the ground, next to River.

If she noticed his presence she said nothing, the little girl however, exclaimed in delight at having someone else to talk to, "Why Monsieur, you have joined also? I was hoping you would" She giggled, her accent carrying just a hint of French, as was customary among the Russian upper class.

The Doctor picked up on it at once, "Mademoiselle Anastasia," He began, bowing to her in an extravagant way that made the little girl collapse into a fit of giggles while River rolled her eyes.

"I think Marie Antoinette would be proud of that voice" He winked at her as he added in a staged whisper, "And I should know, I had dinner with her once"

"But, Monsieur" Anastasia replied, beaming at him, "that would make you over, well, that would make you old!" She declared, wrinkling her nose at him.

The Doctor grinned conspiratorially and beckoned both her and River closer, Anastasia leaned off her chair eagerly and even River moved an inch or so closer to hear what the Doctor had to say,

'And I still look pretty good for my age don't I?" He smirked.

Anastasia threw herself back into the depths of her chair, giggling madly once more, while River pushed The Doctor away irritably.

"Quite the charmer aren't you?" She muttered, jerking her head in the little girl's direction.

In reply the Doctor straightened his bowtie and smirked at her, "It works on more then little children Doctor Song" He growled in a low voice and she had to stop herself from reaching for him.

_What was it about this man? _She thought, _one minute she could be absolutely furious at him, and the next it was as if that anger had just evaporated. _

A loud cough brought her to her senses and she turned to the window again to see the Tsar turning away from Rasputin, nodding at something the other man had just said, "Well Doctor, I see you have bewitched my daughter. I hope to prevent this enchantment from infecting my other children,_ or_ my wife. I demand that you leave now. _All _of you" He said in a stern voice, never meeting the eyes of anyone in the room, directing his gaze to the door at the other side of the room instead.

The Doctor looked on the verge of protesting before River reached forward and put an arm on his shoulder warningly and he nodded and turned away.

But the Tsar was not finished, "Lady Dominika, I will send for you at a later date, we must discuss your message in detail." He added meaningfully, and River noticed out of the corner of her eye, Rasputin raise his head in silent triumph. "Go now! All of you!" He ordered, gesturing to the door.

The Doctor turned to back to Anastasia, who now looked very solemn and reached for her hand which he kissed tenderly and with all the manner of a gentleman, "I look forward to seeing you again, Cherie"

Upon hearing this, the Tsarina cried in her usual haughty tone, "She is the daughter of myself and my husband Monsieur Smith and not the flesh and blood of you and your wife. I hope you do well to remember that!"

River and The Doctor exchanged a glance at her words, his being more of a questioning eyebrow raise as if a thought had suddenly occurred to him,

"Ri-Lady Dominika" He corrected himself, still with a questioning look in his eyes but he was cut short by Anastasia who threw her arms around him, her small hands tightened around his neck as she whispered so that her mother could not hear,

"If it were not up to god Monsieur, I would wish that you and the Lady were my parents"

Before he could come to terms with her words however, she let go of him and launched herself at River instead who was taken by surprise to the point where she almost toppled backwards, "adieu my new friends" Anastasia cried as she let go of River and held her hand instead.

"Anastasia!" Her mother cried in horror but the little girl ignored her.

* * *

><p>River's hand enclosed that of the little girls almost entirely and the longer it remained that way, the longer she felt a sense of emptiness inside of her, of as life she could have had. <em>That of a normal daughter, wife, person and perhaps, as a mother. She had never considered that maybe there was something missing in her life until that moment. In fact, at times she had scoffed at the idea of an ordinary life, dismissed it entirely. Hell, she had never even been the marriage type ,that was what ordinary people did, she supposed, got married, got a job, bought a house, had some kids. <em>

_And now, how funny it felt to crave that, to have the whole of space and time at your fingertips, (because, she reasoned, that was what the Doctor represented) and to still lack so much. Did he feel the same? She wondered, she knew The Doctor had been married before, many times in fact, but there was that one point, when he had it all, wasn't there? Did he still want that? With her? _

_Stop it River!_ Another voice in her head hissed angrily, _even if he did there was no way it could happen, not with your mixed up, back-to-front-relationship! _

"River?" The Doctor's voice asked hesitantly, bringing her back to the present.

She let her grip on the young grand duchesses hand drop and turned to face the Doctor, "What?" she snapped.

He raised an eyebrow in surprise at her tone as he replied "we've gotta go!"

She looked around the room to find everyone's attention on her and quickly jumped to her feet, "Yes, Right, let's go"

Everyone else turned away from her to resume their former activities except for Grace and the Doctor, the latter of which merely continued to stare at her while the former asked, "Is something wrong dearie?"

River shook her head dismissively and said in a severe tone, "Nothing to worry about" Before she swept the trail of her dress out of the way so that she could stand and stride past the Doctor without so much as glancing at him.

* * *

><p><em>She was dead,<em> that painful fact he was reminded of every time they met. _He had tried running from her so many times as he told her mother, because she was the future yes, but she was his past as well and that was what hurt the most, the knowledge that there was no loophole in the Laws of Time that governed the universe, there was no way to rewrite her death, to draw out her life for another thousand years because, selfish as it may seem, he wanted another lifetime with her. _

The Doctor watched as River strode proudly out of the room, _there was so much left to see, to do, to become. He wanted to experience every aspect of life with her._

When that little girl, Anastasia, The Last Grand Duchess of Russia had latched onto him, clasped her small arms around his neck, he remembered, just for a second, what it felt like to be a father again. And now the thought would not banish itself from his mind. He wanted that chance again.

But fate was cruel. Because the idea was plausible to everyone but him. He could never know how much time he had with River, perhaps she would die straight after she finished at the university, perhaps they had years after that, but it was all mixed up and confusing and how could they bring a child into that?

_Did she want children? He'd never really considered that until now, he never really thought of her as a normal person, with feelings like normal people, the River Song he knew was so, well, above that in a way. _Another thought occurred to him in the same moment. _Had he kept her from what she really wanted all this time? Did she want a normal life, a stable, linear relationship where she had 3 children a big backyard and she wore aprons and baked biscuits? _He couldn't really see her doing that but maybe, _**she **_did.

With that thought in his mind the Doctor waved solemnly to the little girl in her armchair and followed his wife out of the room.

She was silent the whole way home, never saying a word as they wove through the alleyways of St Petersburg, not even when Grace and John said goodbye at the fork in the road to make there way to there own hideaway to check on their students.

"You didn't even give me the grand tour" The Doctor whined as a way of making conversation, gesturing with his cane to their surroundings. When she didn't reply he murmured, "Well there's always tomorrow eh?"

River turned to face him, her eyes staring unblinkingly at him for a second or two before she turned away and strode off towards the house.

Curious, the Doctor ran to catch up with her. Somewhere along the way she picked up the pace and he found himself running to catch up with her, passing Boris and the other guards who lowered their weapons at their approach.

"See ya fellas" The Doctor paused long enough to say as he followed River into the house, ducking under the low roof and down the passageway.

By the time he could open the door into the lounge he could see her door on the opposite end slam shut.

"River?" He called out as he shut the door behind him and clambered down the stairs, crossing the length of the lounge in a couple of strides and opening her bedroom door.

For a second he stood on the threshold, searching the room with his eyes, and then they landed on her, curled up at the foot of the bed, her back facing him.

Her shoes lay on the floor, one half under the bed, the other laying on its side next to the side-table. Careful not to step on them the Doctor made his way around to the side of the bed so that he could see her face.

"River" He asked cautiously, setting his cane and top hat on the side table and lying down next to her.

Her face was tear streaked, half covered by her golden curls which he brushed aside gently so that he could kiss the top of her forehead.

"Everything's a mess" she whispered after a second or two, chuckling darkly.

"That's how we are though" he laughed back, making her laugh in return.

"wibbly wobbly, timey wimey, bound to mess things up along the way. But," the Doctor paused before going on in a more serious tone, "That doesn't mean we can't fix it"

She nodded solemnly, drying her eyes hurriedly and clearing her throat as if just realizing she had been crying.

"It's stupid really, hardly the sort of thing to cry about" she said in a hoarse tone as she sat up.

Gently the Doctor pushed her down again so that they were lying side by side once more.

"Something that could make River Song cry? It has to be important" The Doctor said in a firm voice, gesturing for her top explain.

"spoi-"River began to say in a tired sort of voice, only to be interrupted by the Doctor.

"How many years have you been travelling through time?" he scolded mockingly, "Spoilers is for the future, whatever's brothering you is in the present"

River smiled weakly, "how observant my love"

The Doctor adjusted his bowtie importantly, "Well, Lord of Time, Have to get my tenses right don't I?"

River laughed openly, "oh sweetie, what am I going to do with you?"

"Well" the Doctor began, stammering slightly as he glanced down at the bed and then at her.

Catching on, River smiled and patted his shoulder, "not tonight my love,"

The Doctor nodded, slightly defeated and, reaching down to press his lips to hers, began to stand up.

He was stopped by her hand, reaching out to grasp his wrist, "what?" he asked, spinning back to her hopefully.

"The Bed is a little cold" she said meaningfully, raising an eyebrow.

The Doctor moaned, looking between her and the bed," That is very not cool River, you expect me to be in such close proximity to you and not-not" he faltered, gesturing wildly with his arms so that he resembled a windmill.

River smirked in reply, "and not what sweetie?" she asked, making him blush,

"Not, behave like adults" he mumbled.

River laughed, shaking her head in wonder, _how could he seduce her one second and then act as if he had never heard the word sex the next? This man would never cease to amaze her. _

"I'll stay" The Doctor said finally, crossing his arms as he went on sounding like a small child, "_if_, you tell me what's wrong"

Rolling her eyes River got off the bed and turned to face him, reaching up to kiss him in a teasingly slow way. After what seemed like an age she pulled away and grinned up at him.

The Doctor growled down at her, "fine" he huffed, "but I get to choose my pillow!"

River rolled her eyes again and gestured for him to go ahead.

He took her by surprise by picking her up, bridal style and tucking her in.

"Doctor!" she cried in astonishment as he hummed to himself, rolling onto the bed himself, shoes still on and curling up under the cover next to her.

"Yes?" He answered in all innocence, his hands running through her blonde curls absent-mindedly

River was silent for a full minuet as she reached over to turn the gas lamp off, instantly shrouding them in darkness except for a pale beam of moonlight from the only window in the room, which crept across the end of the bed.

"Do you ever wonder how it would have been if we lived normal lives?" she asked hesitantly.

The darkness prevented her from seeing the pained look on the Doctor's face.

"Shh, big day tomorrow, we should be sleeping!" he muttered back hastily.

"Yes" River replied, sighing, "_Very_ big day tomorrow" she whispered so that he couldn't hear her.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Note:<strong> Russian high society considered the French to be very sophisticated, if you could speak the language you were held in high esteem, that's why Anastasia and her siblings would have known French. She would only have been around 4 or 5 in 1912 so it would be basic French._

_Anyways, Hope you like it!_

**_Please Review! Did you like this chapter?_**


	7. Sunday, Bloody Sunday

_Hey guys,_

_so this is a fairly__ quick update :)_

_anyways,_

_the chap. title comes from U2's song which was actually written for the Irish Bloody Sunday._

_In both events, lives were lost and regardless of who they were, or what they did or didn't do, a life is a life, and no life deserves an untimely end. _

_should also mention that in 1912, the Russians still used the "old" calender so the date of Bloody Sunday is actually Jan 22nd by our calender._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter six: Sunday,Bloody Sunday<strong>

_The following comes from the end of year exam paper, History: Revolutions and Warfare (final year) and was printed in 5148 for the use of the high school adjoining the Luna University. The extract was created by one of the universities historians, Doctor Camille Rosenberg, daughter of well known archaeologist, Professor Candy. A hard copy of the exam resides in the high school's library archives as well as the universities. An online version also became available for students as of 5149._

Please read the following paragraph before attempting questions 23-25 on the answer booklet provided.

There are many inconsistencies among historian's opinions of Bloody Sunday. Most Soviet Historians agree that the aim of the march was to outline grievances and to request reform, they also stress that it was a peaceful march. Anti-Soviet or Liberal Historians argue that the entire march was created with the sole intention to storm the Winter Palace and end Tsarist rule by themselves. More likely, as Revisionist Historians claim, Bloody Sunday comprise of a mixture both, but it was never planned as the bloodbath it became.

* * *

><p><strong>Soviet Weapons Hut, Sunday<strong> **Jan 9th 1912**

River woke in the early hours of the morning, carefully removing the Doctor's hand from around her waist and lifting up the covers so that she could climb out of the bed, there was not a single sound except for the Doctor's breathing.

She turned back to the bed to see him twitch a little at the sudden lack of warmth and she bent down hurriedly to kiss the top of his forehead, caressing his cheek as she did so.

"I'm sorry my love" she said in a low voice, tracing his jaw line with a finger, regret etched on her features. "But this needs to be done"

With that she dropped her hand and turned away from the mattress, heading purposefully for the door to the lounge without a glance back.

If she had of, she might have glimpsed the Doctor's left eye open just a fraction, enough to observe her leave the room.

The weapons cabinet was nothing compared to what she housed behind the bottles of vodka in the liquor cabinet.

If the Doctor had chosen to look closely, he would have noticed the ragged cloth that covered the space behind the glass bottles.

It was the thing inside the cloth that River extracted carefully, running her hand down the smooth barrel.

Completely out of place and time among the bayonets and simple handguns, no, this weapon wouldn't be adopted by the Soviet army until 1949; it was an AK-47, an assault rifle.

She had to face facts, this was pre-industrialized Russia, and a bayonet's firing range just wouldn't cut it for the job she was about to undertake.

River expertly ran her hands over the rifle, to check that it was indeed in working condition before she folded the ragged cloth over it once more and, carrying the gun in one hand and made for the stairs.

Her progress went unhindered, except for Boris who was standing guard alone outside that day,  
>"Not going to the march comrade?" He enquired, tapping his foot on the snowy ground as he looked up to see her.<p>

"Not just yet" River called back, forcing herself to smile.

"What's that there?" Boris pressed on, pointing to the cloth which concealed the gun,

"Just some firewood for those less fortunate then we are" she replied, saying the first thing that came to mind.

The man seemed satisfied with that for he simply nodded and gestured for her to go on her way. River smiled briefly, but as she passed him her face became hardened, _she had a job to do after all and she couldn't afford any delays or distractions, no one could talk her out of this and no one could stop her, not even the Doctor. Not all of time could be re-written, but some of it should._

* * *

><p>The Doctor had been up the moment she had shut the bedroom door, throwing off the covers and scrambling to the door in order to peek through the keyhole. He watched as River opened the liquor cabinet<em>, she got up at this time to have a drink?<em> A voice in his head asked and he instantly dismissed it as she reached over the bottles to pull out a long object, hidden in the folds of a ragged green cloth.

The gears in his mind began to whirr and instantly he understood, what had he told the silence back in America? "this is my friend River, nice hair, clever, _has her own gun, and unlike me she doesn't mind shooting people_." There was not a doubt in his mind that that was her intention today.

He waited until she had clambered up the steps, gun hidden safely in the cloth, and opened the door into the passage way before he pushed open the bedroom door and followed her, he may know what she was up to, but first he had to find out here reasoning, her justification for this.

His first obstacle however, was to escape Boris, the angry Russian guard whom for some strange reason, didn't seem to like him.

"Boris, just the man I was looking for!" The Doctor cried out cheerfully as he bounced onto the snow outside the weapons hut, waving to the guard who continued to glower at him.

"It seems, uh" The Doctor paused, straining to see just how far ahead of him River was before going on, "Ri-Dominika didn't want to say anything but, we're concerned about the back wall of the hut, seems like it could fall over any second, occupational health and safety and all that,"

"And you want me to do what?" Boris asked back gruffly, holding his spear rather threathingly at the Doctor's chest.

"Well, if it's not too much trouble, I'd like you to look at it" The Doctor continued brightly.

Boris huffed, snow falling off his moustache, before he lowered his spear and nodded., shuffling off to take a look at the back of the building.

As soon as he was gone The Doctor sped off in the direction he'd seen River take. It was more difficult then he thought, she had hid her most identifiable feature, her hair, under a red hood, the color choice for most of the people in the streets that day. He lost her twice in the endless crowd of men and women and children, carrying pictures of the Royal family or else holding copies of hymns, singing or talking but all heading for the same destination, the Winter Palace.

Halfway along the third street they had gone down, River suddenly stopped near one of the rickety old buildings and decided to climb her way to the rooftop using the window ledges. The Doctor watched her in a mixture of anxiety and awe, she was carrying a rifle in one hand and climbing a 3 storey building at the same time, he was right, she was clever.

It made it easier now, to track her movements, all he had to do after that was look up once in a while to find the red hooded figure darting across rooftops. He was forced to stick to the sides of the crowd if he wanted to keep up with her however, the numbers had swelled rapidly after each street they passed, people leaving their houses to join in while others watched from the safety of their balconies and the thresholds of their doors. Some of the on-lookers wore neutral expressions, some looked anxious while others glared at those who marched by.

The Doctor saw one little girl open the door of her house and sprint outside to join the crowd, only to be carried back inside hurriedly by her mother who shot the crowd an fierce look before slamming the door shut again.

This march divided people, and for years after it would could continue to divide experts, well, he reasoned_, that's Archaeologists for you, arguing over events that they weren't even present for._

_Speaking of Archaeologists,_ He thought, scratching his head as he looked up for the fifth time to find River.

She had stopped abruptly on the rooftop just in front of the building he was currently passing, crouching down and removing the red hood so that her blonde curls could tumble free.

He stared in confusion, why had she stopped there? Still curious, the Doctor turned his attention to the crowd and understood instantly. About 20 or so yards in front of him, the road suddenly became much wider and there, standing proudly in the distance, lay the Winter Palace in all it's glory, a place, he himself had visited just last night.

The Doctor became aware that the chanting of the crowd had risen steadily to a roaring chorus, singing the praises of the Tsar as they advanced on the palace.

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><p>River laid the green cloth in front of her, rolling it out so that the rifle lay on top of the material, the barrel glimmering in the morning light. It was already loaded; such was her confidence that she wouldn't accidently fire it on the way over.<p>

Taking her eyes off the weapon, she looked up at the Winter Palace. Elizabethan Baroque, that was the style, a testament to the glory of Russia, and yet, right next to it, the people suffered. Crammed into filthy housing and starving.

Her eyes narrowed as she watched the figures who formed a human barricade against the walls of the Palace, they're gray fur coats standing out amongst the sea of red. The Cossacks, a force whose loyalty was bought by the Tsar with no other purpose then to kill as many men, women and children as possible. She had warned the Tsar of the consequences of resulting to violence, to no avail, her words were ignored. Now she would take matters into her own hands.

The crowd were still holding the pictures of the Royal family aloft, bellowing the final notes of "God save the Tsar" as they approached the Palace square, happily oblivious to what was to come. River wasn't however.

Quickly River picked up the Rifle, sticking out her knee for balance and leaning the end of her gun over her shoulder for steadiness.

She closed one eye slightly, focusing on the one of the Cossacks in front of the gate who was slowly raising his bayonet, a smile on his face that made her feel sick. Her finger had just brushed across the trigger, waiting for her to pull it back, and then she heard him,

"Stop!" The word rang in the air, carrying across the entire rooftop.

River froze, her eyes downcast, she should have known.

"Doctor," she began quietly, lowering the gun as she turned to glance behind her.

Sure enough there was the Doctor sitting casually on the chimney stack, glaring at her.

"An explanation, now" He demanded, snapping his fingers.

His eyes were blazing and it took all of River's strength to maintain eye contact as she argued her point. Thankfully for her, the people had begun to sing "god save the Tsar again"

"See!" She snapped, gesturing to the mass of people below, "They're praising their tsar while he's ordered their execution without them knowing. They came here to ask, not to demand or insist, merely to ask for basic rights. How is that fair Doctor? How can I stand by and watch them die?"

Her question seemed to drain most of the anger out of him so that she could draw it into herself as she went on,

"You can come and go as you please, but I've lived among these people for 3 months!" she cried, the words ringing in the Doctor's ear.

He said nothing in reply, but lowered his head and uncrossed his arms, sticking them into his pockets as he did so.

"I can't watch them die and just stand there an do nothing!" She finished,

Suddenly the Doctor looked back up, his eyes locked with hers as he roared back, "HOW DO YOU THINK I FELT WHEN YO-" he stopped himself just in time, gasping and leaning back from her almost immediately. How could he have lost control like that? He nearly let it slip.

"When what?" River huffed back, gesturing for him to go on, completely oblivious to his appalled expression.

The Doctor swallowed hard, forcing himself to act normal, "spoilers" he replied, struggling to keep his voice neutral.

River didn't appear to hear him, she had already turned back to the crowd, hearing the gunshots, the people had stopped singing now, instead they were screaming, panicking, dying. She could make out the smiles on the Cossack's faces as they charged towards the masses, bayonets in hand, firing wildly through the crowd, forcing hundreds of terrified people to scatter. This only served to make them easier targets, which those Cossacks who remained at the palace wall could easily pick off.

Bloody Sunday, it would go on to be called, the day the people drew up a pettition for their ruler and engaged in a peaceful march, only to be slaughtered.

"No!" River choked out, her eyes widened as she saw on the soldiers hunt down a small child with glee, she saw the child trip over one of their dead bodies that scattered the square, saw her fall, the Cossack advancing, and then it was over with a hair raising scream.

"How can you bear it?" River cried after a moment or two, turning back to the Doctor, her eyes blazing as he continued to watch her with a sad expression.

"What stops you from running over and saving someone?"

"The Laws of Time" The Doctor replied, "and the fact that this, event" he gestured to the massacre below, "will never be forgotten, what happens here fuels the change that is to come, sparks the Revolution,"

"A revolution that only brings more bloodshed" she hissed back, pausing briefly to bite her lip and considering the words before ploughing on, "I was born in battle Doctor, that's all I have known my entire life, and if there's one thing I have learnt is that no one leaves the field any wiser, the wars do not end anything, they just lead to more war."

"You're wrong" The Doctor replied softly, making her jerk back in surprise,

"The man of peace who understands every kind of warfare, you of all people should…" She began to say but he cut across her,

"About saving someone I mean" He said, still in that soft tone as he slowly rose and walked across to stand before her.

"River if I could run in there and save them all in a heartbeat, and before you say anything, no, I don't bear it, at least, not at all well, but I have to, because, for every life lost here, a new one begins somewhere in the universe, one not bound by a fixed point that can be saved. So no, I can't save anyone down there, but I can save someone" He said, looking down at her.

"Who?" she asked back in confusion, frowning a little,

The Doctor sighed heavily, "You"

And with that he crouched down, taking his left hand out of his pocket to reveal an embroidered face towel which her quickly covered over her nose and mouth.

Realization showed in her eyes and she began to struggle, trying to fight him off, "No!" she cried, the sound muffled by the face towel. She clamped her hand around his wrist, trying to force his hand away from her but already he could feel her grip begin to slacken as the drug started to work.

"I'm sorry" He whispered, watching the disbelief in her eyes grow and then disappear as her eyes closed and she fell forwards, into his arms.

He held her like that for sometime, rocking her gently as took in the screams and sounds of gunshots around them.

"I never land on Sundays,Sundays are boring" he'd said often.

The truth was, sunday's broke his hearts.

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><p><em>OK guys hope you found it interesting,<em>

_please comment, all feedback is welcome :)_


	8. Mr and Mrs Smith

_Hey guys :) _

_thanks for all your lovely reviews! i'm glad you're all enjoying this fic because I reall enjoy writing it! _

_sorry I'm updating so late but I've been so busy lately with Uni :O_

_anyways, this chapter is a a bit more history based but I do explain things as I go along so hopefully you will all be able to follow this :) _

_also this chapter is, once again, a little steamy _

_ok, so the title of course comes from the 2005 movie, Mr and Mrs Smith. _

_hope you enjoy it!_

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><p><strong>Chapter seven: Mr and Mrs Smith<strong>

_The following is a paragraph extracted from a leading psychology journal entitled, "Psych Health." This particular paragraph is part of an article featured in volume 23 of the journal, and was written by Dr. M. Small. The article is labelled, "the influence of healthy relationships on the mind" and was part of the set reading for first year Psychology students at the Luna University (study design spanning the years 5158-5162) The journal is available on the library reserve shelf and is free for all to borrow for a period of 3 hours at a time. _

Relationships are key factors in individual's lives when it comes to deciding upon the best course of action in a situation. From the information provided (refer to figure 12) it can be observed that 56.6% of people choose to discuss life changing decisions with their partners, 89% of which state that not having their partner's support usually results in a lack of confidence both in themselves and in the positives of a situation. Studies conducted earlier this year (, 5156 pp.178-183) support the idea suggested by many professionals, that the effect of not having the approval of a spouse can lead to failure to overcome an event.

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><p><em><strong>The Time Vortex<strong> _

River awoke an hour later to the painful sound of the Tardis handbrake being left on. Groaning, she rolled off the soft mattress, her head spinning. Slowly she tried to stand up, observing her surroundings as she did so.

She was in the Tardis, of that she was sure; for starters, the room was decorated with a range of different items dating to both different era's and planets. She spotted a scaled down model of the red galaxy, the planets slowly revolving on a black stand. Next to that an exquisite porcelain mask from Venice rested, both of which sat atop a mahogany wardrobe as if they belonged side by side.

River strained to remember how she had got here, she had been in Russia, 1905 to be exact and then… "Oh my god" River gasped suddenly before she turned on her heel and sprinted out the door, slamming it shut behind her.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" she roared as she ran down the Tardis corridor towards the console.

The Tardis, seemingly on her side, or perhaps wanting to warn the Doctor of her presence, carried her voice to the console room so that the Doctor could hear.

He ignored the voice, is back turned to her as he pulled down one of the levers and pressed a couple of buttons.

"Take me back there!" River demanded, charging up the glass steps.

The Doctor turned briefly, shook his head, and then spun back around to press yet another button.

"You can't keep me here!" she went on in outrage,

She was interrupted by his laughter, a quiet chuckle initially, that grew and grew into open mirth.

"What?" She asked, faltering.

"I don't think I could keep you here, even if I tried" The Doctor answered, his back still to her as he ran a hand over the console. The Tardis hummed in agreement at his words.

All three were silent for a second or two, neither River nor the Doctor moving an inch, before River asked softly, "how did you know?"

The Doctor turned towards her, his eyes downcast as he shrugged and said simply, "I checked the date when I landed, I knew what you'd try, it's very... you"

He glanced up at her, sweeping his fringe out of the way and was surprised to see her give him a small smile.

It was replaced with a stone cold expression so quickly after that, that he was almost sure he had imagined it, "And the people we left there? The 11000 plus that are just a fixed point in time to you?"

"River I couldn't save them, it could rip a hole in space" He replied evenly, turning back to the console. "Just like I couldn't save you" he whispered softly so that she couldn't hear.

She glared at the back of him and if looks could kill he would most likely be a pile of ash on the ground by then.

"So you just fly away then? Back home to see Amy and Rory and pretend it all never happened?" she hissed, throwing herself into the chair next to her.

'No" the Doctor answered simply after a second or two.

River crossed her arms defiantly, "care to elaborate sweetie?"

The Doctor sighed in a frustrated way, pressing the palm of his hand onto the console as if trying to contain his emotions. He spun around to face River, leaning back on the console as he spoke, "How about you elaborate on your consistent …" he waved his hand in the air, trying to find the right word, "your consistent _dislike_, of me?"

"My what?" she replied in bewilderment.

"That's right!" the Doctor cried triumphantly, stepping closer so that he could emphasis, "ever since I got here,"

"Doctor you're being completely ridiculous" River muttered back, rolling her eyes at him.

"There!" he cried in response, pointing at her in a dramatic way, "you did it just then"

"Did not" River retorted.

"Did so!" The Doctor responded in a childish manner

"Oh shut up!" River laughed suddenly and too late, the Doctor realized exactly what she had intended all along.

Without a moments hesitation she sprung of the chair and dived at the Doctor, pining him to the ground as she bent down and kissed him on the lips. At first he protested, arms flailing awkwardly in the air before he gave in and opened his mouth. The kiss deepened as The Doctor pressed his hand into the small of her back, pressing her down closer to him. River moaned in his mouth and he was finally able to flip her over so that she was now on the console floor with him on top of her.

"oh you bad, bad girl" The Doctor hissed as they broke apart, running his hands down until he found the hem of her dress and slipped one arm under the fabric to caress her thigh.

River gasped, arching her body as she replied breathlessly, "I should hate you right now!"

The Doctor hummed in response, shuffling down to kiss his way up her leg. She giggled, trying to move her leg away but his wrist wrapped around her ankle, effectively trapping her.

The Doctor grinned. Looking up to her, only to see a familiar face standing against the Tardis door, eyebrows raised as they observed the scene, "you two have the most inappropriate timing!' Professor Jonathon Book muttered, taking a step towards them.

The Doctor yelped and scrambled to his feet, almost tripping over River in the process. "How did you get in here?"

Book's left eyebrow disappeared under his greying hair at that, "you left it un-locked" he said, pointing to the door. "But a more pressing point is what happened to you two?"

"What do you mean?' River asked, standing up and brushing her dress as the Doctor bounded over to the console to look at the scanner.

Book ignored her, talking more to himself now then to the other two, "I told Grace, I said to her, they'll be fine, but no, she was convinced you were both dead!"

"Doctor?" River asked, turning to the Timelord for help instead.

The Doctor looked up, an unreadable expression on his face, "I said I wouldn't take you home just yet" he answered and she raised an eyebrow, "what's the date" River asked slowly, walking around to take a look at the scanner for herself.

"December 1905" she read out loud, frowning, "we've jumped almost an entire year into the future"

"Yes" Professor Book agreed, coming back to his senses and acknowledging them, "While some of us have had to pass the time normally!" but he chuckled as he spoke, beckoning them towards the doors as he strode outside himself,

"He didn't say it's bigger on the inside!" The Doctor grumbled to no one in particular,

"That's because I told him about it" River shot back matter-of-factly, striding after the other man.

The Doctor bounded down the steps after her, almost knocking her over as she stopped dead just outside the door.

They had entered a large room, amongst which twenty or so wooden cabinets were lined up in three straight rows. About 50 people were crowed into the room, all of them either searching through the cabinets or rifling through piles of papers.

"Thank heavens you're alright!" they heard someone shout across the room and both looked up at once to see Jonathon's wife charging at them like a mad woman. As soon as she reached them Dr. Hope pulled River into a tight embrace, practically sobbing as she said, "We tried checking the list of the dead but there were so many, and then there were the unnamed and the missing, and the bodies so bad they couldn't identify them" she let go of River and then flung herself at the Doctor who jerked back in surprise, "We feared the worst!"

"_You _feared the worst my dear!" Jonathon corrected her from his place several meters away where he was helping a young man search through a manila folder.

"Grace, what happened after we left?" River asked as two others, a young boy and girl, placed three chairs next to them and gestured that they sit.

"And what's going on here?" The Doctor added, taking a seat.

"Well Doctor, these are my students" Professor Book replied, gesturing to the others present in the room. "We were on an expedition and I thought they might like to experience how a secret political group operates "the other man rambled on, "espionage, spies all that jazz. It's a little bit James Bond if you think about it" he winked and the Doctor smiled back politely,

"So right now we're…"

"In the Soviet Headquarters, yes" Grace finished quickly.

"Right" The Doctor nodded, already bored as he extracted his sonic screwdriver from his pocket and began to throw it in the air and catch it again.

"What's happened since we left?" River repeated, leaning in closer and shooting the Doctor an irritated look as he continued to play with the sonic.

"Well" Grace cleared her throat as she went on, "Nicholas finally reacted, only took him what, 9 months?" she rolled her eyes and several of her husband's students who had evidently been eavesdropping laughed at that. Grace shot them a look, effectively silencing hem as they hurriedly went on with their work.

"Supposed to be searching through the latest list of grievances, bless them, they thought it would be all excavations and finding artefacts" she added, jerking her head in the student's direction before going on, "anyways, you missed the October Manifesto, "

"The what?" The Doctor asked, looking up in confusion.

River stared at him incredulously, "700 years through time and space and you've never heard of the October Manifesto?"

"I tend to avoid this time period!" The Doctor shot back crossly, returning once again to throwing the sonic in the air.

River reached forward in time to catch the screwdriver before he could, swinging her hand away from his grasp as he tried to retrieve the sonic before she flung it onto the table a couple of meters away.

"Dr. Hope" River began in her most formal tone over the Doctor's protests, "would care to explain the October Manifesto to this nine-year old, "she finished nastily, glaring pointly at the Doctor.

"Of course dearie" The other woman muttered, her eyes shining as she stared between the two of them. She muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like, "just like we were" before going on a louder voice, "The Tsar, or rather, his cronies, created the October Manifesto."

"But, what exactly is it?" The Doctor asked, forced to listen now that he had nothing to keep himself amused with.

"It's a document" River snapped just as Grace opened her mouth to explain, "which granted the establishment of the Duma and before you ask, that's a sort of public assembly where the people could discuss their problems"

"Hmmm well, that's what it's supposed to do. He counter-minded his own document anyways, by creating the fundamental state laws not even a week later, meaning the Duma's were basically useless." Professor Book put in from his place without looking up from the document he was now reading.

Grace chuckled, "that's the thing with politics though, all sly sneaky bastards if you ask me. Those sate law thingies; he deliberately made them complex so that the people couldn't understand a word of what he was saying. Moving on, Trotsky thought up the Petrograd Soviet,"

"A place for all soviet groups to gather and discuss what needs to be done" River added quickly as she caught sight of the Doctor's expression.

"Lenin returned"

"Lenin?" The Doctor cried, bounding out of his chair excitedly, "Vladimir Lenin?"

Grace frowned, "yes, unfortunately, bringing his Peace, Bread, Land slogan with him"

"Liberalist!" Book muttered, looking up at her briefly.

Grace spun around on her seat and retorted with a cry of, "Communist!"

River and the Doctor exchanged a glance as the former stood quickly to join her husband, "well this has been lovely and we'd really love to stay and chat but..." The Doctor began to say, only to feel the barrel of a handgun pressed between his shoulder blades.

"River" The Doctor hissed angrily, "that's not funny!"

"Doctor" River began slowly, "I'm standing next to you"

The Doctor turned to his left and sure enough, his wife stood next to him, her arms raised in the air. He tried top run to see who was behind him and instead got a blow to the face.

"Turn to the front, and put your arms in the air!" whoever was standing behind him growled in a deep Russian accent.

"Out of all the days you choose to land the Tardis!' River cried in annoyance next to him, "You chose the day that the Soviet Headquarters is stormed by the government!"

"WHAT?" the Doctor cried as he was handcuffed by the man standing behind him,

"Under the authority of the Russian Emperor, Tsar Nicholas II himself, you are all under arrest on the grounds of treason!" the man cried, and suddenly, a group of soldiers who had obviously been standing behind River and The Doctor marched through the building, past the rows of cabinets and began to subdue the now terrified students.

"Settle down now, settle down!" Professor Book cried as his students began to panic, turning this way and that to look for escape routes. "We will all be ok, as long as you do not resist, they won't harm us!"

He demonstrated this by allowing himself to be handcuffed by one of the soldiers, calmly over looking the events. His expression soon changed as soon as he caught sight of his wife however, "Grace what the devil are you doing?' He roared as he watched Dr. Hope attempt to kick the guard who was trying to handcuff her.

"She did the same thing when she visited the feminists in the 70's you know!" Jonathon said to no one in particular, reminiscing as he did so, "got into a nasty bit of trouble with a police officer, I can tall you; he'll never be able to..."

His words were drowned out by Grace's cry of, "oh shut up you idiot!"

The Doctor turned to face River, white sheets of paper flying over there heads, "Let's never be like them" He muttered as the soldiers guarding them began to pull them away roughly, out of the building,

"Agreed!" River replied hurriedly, with a glance back at the other couple who were now engaged in a shouting match which somehow drowned out the panicked cries of the students coupled with the soldiers barking orders.

"they'll be ok though" she muttered after a second or two, more to console herself, "no one dies today"

The Doctor shook his head sadly, "River, you and I both know it doesn't work like that, events like these, they're not fixed, Grace and John may have thought nothing could happen, but they are at just as much risk today as they were in January. "

* * *

><p><em><strong>Russian Prison December 1905<strong>_

2 hours later they found themselves crammed into a tiny, badly lit and damp cell with Professor Book, his wife and several of his students.

For half an hour they had listened to Grace fly into a rage as soon as a soldier walked by, hurling out abuse until they rounded the corner and disappeared. When the soldiers started to avoid approaching this section of the jail Grace instead began to mutter under her breath about the incompetence of Lenin, who, as they soon discovered, had fled back to Siberia where Trotsky had also been exiled to.

"Who's supposed to lead them now?" Grace snarled for the umpteenth time, gesturing to the cell opposite hers where many of the soviets including Alexandra Kollontai were housed.

"Mika," Alexandra cried in frustration through the bars, turning to River for help, "you would be doing our ears an immense favour if you were to clamp the mouth of your friend shut!"

Jonathon chuckled darkly at that from somewhere at the back of the cell, hidden by the students in front of him. "Yes_ Mika, _do us all a favour!"

"Don't make me come down there Jonathon!" Grace retorted angrily and her husband quietened down at once.

"If only I had the sonic" The Doctor lamented from his place next to River as he rested his head on her shoulder only to have her push him off.

River rolled her eyes, reaching up to pull out one of the black hairpins she wore, "Move aside" she muttered to one of Book's terrified students as she scrambled towards the lock on the gate of the cell.

Everyone watched her curiously as she began to pick the lock, gritting her teeth anxiously. Within a couple of seconds the lock gave way and the door swung open nosily.

Everyone stared at the open door for a second or two, blinking as if they couldn't quite believe it before all hell broke loose and everyone found themselves scrambling for the exit.

River was pushed back as Book's students desperately tried to escape and she was forced to press herself flat against the bars to avoid being trampled.

"Why didn't you just do that the minute we got in here?" The Doctor yelled over the min-stampede of students. "Would have saved us from listening to her!" he added, pointing to Grace as she found her way out of the cell.

"It would have also gotten us captured yet again by the soldiers!" River pointed out as she smiled at Grace, "she made sure they wouldn't come around again"

"My dear!" Jonathon cried as he finally found himself able to move towards them. He reached down and pecked River on the cheek, "You are a lifesaver! Where on earth did you learn to pick locks?"

River winked at the Doctor briefly and they both turned to observe Jonathon's reaction as she replied, "Oh, I learnt that in Stormcage!"

She thought the man might have died of a heart attack by the expression on his face.

"Mrs Robinson" The Doctor grinned as he grabbed River's hand and led her out of the cell,

"ah, I believe that's Mrs _Smith_" River chuckled, reaching into his pocket to extract the psychic paper.

"we're going to need this!"

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><p><em>ok if the history references were confusing please let me know! :) <em>

_anyways, Please **Review** guys! I love getting any kind of Feedback!_

_note: minor edit guys, the date used to say 1912, it was in fact 1905, i was confusing the revolution with the march sorry guys, I've fixed it now! :)_


	9. Love's Not Times Fool

_Hey guys :)_

_another long gap between updates which I __apologise_ for _also, I had a little problem in which chapter six was somehow replaced with chapter seven, that has now been corrected. _

**Thank you for all reviews! Especially those reviewers who have stuck with me since the prologue and reviewed almost every chapter! **

anyways, The title of this chapter is a part of Shakespeare's sonnet 116.

**Please note: **The start of this chapter discusses the Archaeological Term "Stratification" which just means the relation of one layer of rock in relation to another at a particular site. So if you have one layer of rock, you can say it's either older or younger compared to another. If this isn't making sense and I'm explaining it terribly please let me know :)

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight: Love's Not Times Fool<strong>

_The following is a small part of a lecture given by a guest speaker to the university, R. I. Pine, a senior member of the Time Agency. The Lecture was given to 1__st__ year Chronology students in the year 5160. For those who are unaware, A Chronology degree in the 51__st__ century involves analysing and identifying different the periodizations of Time and various aspects of it such as Paradoxes and Time corridors. A degree in Chronology opens pathways to a range of Time-related careers including induction into the Time Agency. Please note: Mr Pine's lecture is not available on the Library database and is strictly for Chronology students who are undertaking their first year of study. The Time agency does not take lightly to those individuals who disobey this rule. _

"Chronology has close ties to Archaeology, in some ways; we are Archaeologists, without having to get our hands dirty. Some among my field of work would label me a radical for saying this but the fact remains; we use the same stratification techniques, the difference being that we apply them to Time, not to layers of Rock. Time jumps around you see, and it's constantly being re-written, it is also difficult to determine when one era of Time begins and one ends. For that reason, Chronologists no longer apply names to periods of Time. We can only relate them to another era. For example, we can say that the period when the Planet Earth (look out that window and you can see it) was a dominate force in the universe came before the brief Dalek Infestation and After the Third Great Time War. We can not put a date to either of these events, but we can say, relatively speaking, where it fits in with history."

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><p><strong>St Petersburg December 1912<strong>

Professor Book sat down heavily on the chair provided for him, staring between the two people in front of him.

His eyes flickered briefly to his wife as she anxiously pressed a glass of whiskey in his hands and muttered his thanks before turning back to the couple seated across from him.

The minute they had safely made it back to their hideout, (which turned out to be almost identical to the weapons hut,) and served up dinner for their students. John and Grace had retreated to their lounge and demanded an explanation from the mysterious couple seated before them. The more River told them however, the more they wished they didn't know.

"My God" he cried for the third time that night, bringing the glass up to his lips and draining it in one go.

"steady on" Grace cried in alarm, taking a seat next to River and then, as if realising who she was sitting next to, quickly jumped away and walked over to lean against the mantelpiece of the fireplace, fidgeting with her hands.

"How did you not know? " The Doctor cried, gesturing wildly with his hands. The oncoming storm and the woman who killed the Doctor? There are stories about us you know" he added, slightly irritated that they hadn't heard of him before. Honestly how could they not know who he was? What kind of stories had River been telling them then?

The Doctor stifled a groan, strike that thought, he didn't want to know.

"Doctor" Grace interrupted impatiently, "we've been travelling ourselves, for more then 10 years now, we never stay in one place long enough to gather stories"

"we're a bit like professionals-for-hire if you think about it" Book joked weakly, staring down at his empty glass, "Universities pay us to take the students on expeditions, teach them the ropes, get their feet wet..."

"Mix their metaphors" Grace added dryly and Book shot her an annoyed look.

"So you're like us then" River put in from her place next to the Doctor.

Book nodded reluctantly, "well, yes, I suppose so, I mean, we're on the run as well," he said as Grace shrieked over the top of him, "Don't you say another word John"

Her husband chose to shout loudly over the top of her, "My name's not John!" he sighed before going on, "but that doesn't matter, it's Jonathon Book now" Both River and The Doctor nodded and he went on, "The Time Agency aren't too fond of us" he laughed, the Doctor smiling back warmly, "No, they're not to fond of me either, although, I did meet a former agent who was rather lovely, bit too forward for my liking..." he trailed off as River shot him a curious stare,

"Who was that?"

"Never you mind" the Doctor cried back hurriedly, pictures of his wife and his old friend that he didn't quite approve of flashing through his mind. He turned back to John, desperate to avert mentioning that again, "You said they're not too fond of you, why? what did you do?"

John grinned, setting his glass down on the side table as he stood up and walked over to stand next to his wife in front of the fire. Before Grace could react he slipped his arm around her waist and said in a soft tone, "What did they say I did Grace?" he asked, a smile etched on his features.

Grace smiled back lovingly as she replied, "they said you kidnapped me" she laughed.

River and The Doctor exchanged a glance before the former said slowly, "so, I'm guessing that's not the case."

Grace nodded at the other woman as she rested her head on her husband's chest, "My father was head of the Time Agency 20 years ago." She explained, "And he wasn't too happy when I decided to study Archaeology. To him, his job and mine were completely different fields, one useful, one not"

"Archaeologists" The Doctor muttered under breath to no one in particular. Frowning, River leaned over and elbowed him in the stomach, making him yelp.

"You sound just like him" Grace said, shaking her head as she went on, "anyway, he was less impressed when I started seeing John... Especially since he was my lecturer"

River let out a low whistle, "older man, younger woman, "she winked at the Doctor, running a hand over his thigh teasingly which made him gulp, "Sounds like us sweetie"

The Doctor pulled his leg away from her reach, scrambling up the couch so that both of his legs were now safely tucked under him.

"Maybe not, I seem the more mature one here" River sniggered, turning back to John and Grace, "Why did he go to such lengths though, I mean, kidnap? That's a tad harsh"

"Have you seen _your _father?" The Doctor asked pointly, folding his arms and pouting. River rolled her eyes but said nothing, gesturing for Grace to continue,

"Well, we did burn down part of the Time Agency in protest after they announced that they would begin experimentation in changing people's timelines." she said, pursing her lips.

The Doctor grinned, turning to River briefly, "Oh I like her"

Grace laughed, "Well, _Daddy_ certainly didn't, "she muttered, lingering on the word daddy with certain distaste. "And he couldn't exactly tell the Agency that his own daughter was responsible for it. But you see, they knew I was there that night in the building, and it wouldn't take long for them to put two and two together, especially when they could travel back to the event in question"

"So he invented a kidnap" River finished for her and she nodded silently.

"Not just any kidnap, he claimed that John had salvaged Dalek technology and used it to take us..."Grace began to say, only to have the Doctor finish her sentence, "one second out of sync with the rest of the universe, yes, I'm familiar with that"

"That way they couldn't use time travel to discover what really happened"

The group were quiet after that, River and the Doctor taking in all they had learnt while Grace and John lost themselves in memories.

It was remarkable how similar they all were, River thought to herself, all guided by love.

"Well, I guess we'd better get a move on, there is a Revolution going on after all" John said suddenly, breaking the silence. He clapped his hands together and motioned for them all to stand up.

"What are we doing?" River asked in confusion as Grace leaned off her husband and began to walk towards the door.

Book held out his hand to River, helping her off her chair, "Tonight, _Dominika,_ is a secret meeting of all soviets that haven't been arrested as yet!" he said cheerfully, "seeing as our less fortunate members are still in jail" he added, referring to Alexandra Kollontai and the others that River had to leave behind at the cell. History foretold, after all, that the Soviets remained behind bars for at least a little while longer. (Although that strictly wasn't what stopped her, it was the Doctor's loud protests that they would be creating a paradox which could rip a hole in time that he didn't have the time or patience to fix.)

The Doctor scrambled to his feet curiously and ambled out of the room behind Grace, "Soviets" River heard him cry in delight before he could leave, "I Love Russians"

She turned to follow him, a smile on her face before John caught her arm and ushered her towards the other end of the room, "Not you River" he said in a hushed tone, glancing at the door to determine whether or not they were indeed alone, "The Tsar began asking about you some time ago, it seems you made quite the impression with your letter"

River's jaw tightened and she nodded stiffly, refusing to say anything as John sighed and went on, "well, whatever was in that letter struck a cord. He instructed us to tell you to meet with him as soon as you came back to St Petersburg"

"Did Grace tell him her suspicions that I had died that Sunday with all the others?" she asked in a cold voice, hoping that the other woman really had.

John shook his head hurriedly, "No, for once she kept her mouth shut" he chuckled. When River did not laugh as well he said in a low voice, "the child has been asking for you and the Doctor"

River's expression softened instantly, "what did she say?"

John shrugged, "child-like things, she sets up tea parties and leaves seats out for you both, plays imaginary games where the three of you go off and have adventures, it's charming really" he said in a careless way, carefully waiting for her reaction.

There was a sharp intake of breath which confirmed his suspicions. "River" he began with a worried sigh, " You and the Doctor are playing a dangerous game here, you both know the fate of the Romanovs and no one can avert that..." he was cut off by her, " I know Professor, believe me, I know, " she said in a heavy voice, "but I do believe that when the time comes he- I mean, whoever is charged with the task of executing that little life will change their mind"

"River, you have to prepare yourself for the worst, you can't become so attached to her. " John cried in exasperation.

River shook her head, unconvinced, "she **will **make it through this Book!"

And with that she turned away from him and strode out of the room, tears threatening to spill down her face. She always believed with her heart that Anastasia survived, and she couldn't bring herself to think now, after all this time, that the little girl might die, and that it would be at the hands of the Doctor of all people. It seemed that both her worlds had collided, and both aspects of her childhood had come back to haunt her, reminding her that she couldn't have it all.

She quickened her pace, trying to out run her own thoughts and in the process, almost collided with the Doctor.

"River?" he asked, catching a glimpse of her face, "what is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing" she snapped angrily.

The hurt expression on his face made her add in a more kinder tone, "It's nothing sweetie, I don't feel that well, that's all"

The Doctor nodded slowly, "then you're not coming to the meeting?" he asked and she nodded,

"Not tonight, no" she said hurriedly, anxious to avoid his questions.

It seemed though that she had underestimated how good he had gotten at seeing right through her lies, "ok then, what do you say we go back to the Tardis and take a trip? Anywhere you want, Paris, we could visit Manet, or Rome at it's height of power, might even spot Rory, or..." the Doctor said excitedly, spinning around as he did so and gesturing wildly.

"Doctor, I said I didn't feel well!" she cried in response, bringing a brief end to his excitement before he started back up again.

"Tardis pantry must have some aspirin hidden away, don't exactly know how long it will have been lying about there, hmm, potentially problematic. Never mind, we'll buy some more on the way" And with that he grabbed her hand and began to pull her towards the front door of John and Grace's hideaway, pointing out various bits of Architecture as he did so, "these drapes are nice River don't you think so? "

"Doctor" she cried wearily, trying to detach her hand from his.

"I'm not sure about that painting though, what is that? Some sort of post-impressionism piece? Bit ahead of it's time don't you think?"

"Doctor!" River cried once more, her voice rising.

The Doctor ignored her once more opting instead to critique the hallway, "I wouldn't mind a good suit of armour, right here, by the door, as a sort of welcome..."

"DOCTOR!" River cried, infuriated. "I lied, I'm not ill" she couldn't help but blurt out.

The Doctor was silent for a second, his back turned towards her as he shrugged himself up higher and she could see his hands reaching up to fix his bowtie before he spun around to face her, a smile on his face that was nothing short of sinister.

'You lied then" He said simply, taking a step towards her so that they were face to face.

River held her ground, refusing to back down. "Like you didn't know" she snapped back sarcastically.

The Doctor let out a low whistle in response, "Oh you know me too well" he hissed back, "question is, why are you lying to me River?"

River swallowed hard as she replied curtly, "spoilers"

The Doctor's eyes narrowed, "Oh no, I really don't think you can hide behind that anymore."

River said nothing, staring at him with a blank look on her face that he had come to understand all too well. He had that look in his eyes, the look of a man that if given the chance, could go to extreme and terrifying lengths. Suddenly she wasn't so sure about Anastasia's fate.

The assassination of the Romanovs was a fixed point in Time and she knew his stance on fixed points. They can not be changed. He would not avert the death of anyone if Time decreed there death important enough, regardless of who or what they were.

What would happen, she wondered if her death was a fixed point? Or Amy's or even Rory's? He would have to let them die, she supposed. She shuddered at the thought. It was not a situation that she would ever want to be in, not a choice she would want to make, but it would most likely be the Doctor's.

She sighed, perhaps she was being too hard on him, she thought to herself, staring into those ancient eyes that she loved so much. In her university days, when she had chosen to do her research on him, she had stumbled across various names, mostly from the 20th and 21st centuries. Sarah-Jane Smith, Jo Grant, Martha Jones, Rose Tyler. All former companions of her Doctor, and all, obviously, dead by the 51st century.

Death was part of life for the friends he made along the way, but it was not for the Doctor. Utah had proven that. He lived on, despite every attempt on his life.

River had been intrigued by one person in particular, who was known in some parts of the universe as the most important woman in all of creation. She also knew of her terrible fate and how the Doctor could not avert it any way. But she wondered sometimes, if his thoughts ever turned to Donna Noble, and if for just a second he envisioned himself making a tiny change in her life, just something small so that she could remember him, without her mind burning up.

"Doctor" she said softly, putting a hand on his arm gently.

"Yes?" he huffed, still angry.

"I'm sorry"

The Doctor's expression wavered for a second somewhere between affection and mild disapproval before he replaced it with a neutral one, "yes, well, I suppose you're forgiven." he said gruffly, looking away from her.

"Shall we go to the meeting?" she said brightly, linking her arm with his.

"I thought you had more important things to do" He mumbled as they turned around and headed towards the door.

"they can wait until a bit later" River answered.

The Doctor's face broke into an excited grin, "Soviets River, can you imagine? Having secret meetings and the like, I wish I had my special bowtie for this"

River rolled her eyes and groaned, "You don't mean that ridiculous one that spins do you?" Which put an end to the Doctor's joyful mood.

He sulked in response and dropped his face, reaching into his pocket for something to fiddle with. "Hang on" he cried suddenly, searching the remaining pockets hurriedly, "where's the sonic?" he asked.

River clapped a hand to her forehead, "I threw it onto the table in the Soviet headquarters right before we were arrested!" she cried.

"So you're telling me" The Doctor began in a low voice, "That there is futuristic technology just lying around where anyone can find it?"

There was a pause when they both turned to face eachother, apprehension mirrored on both their faces before they cried as one, "We have to find it, now!"

And with that they took off, sprinting for the door.

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><p><em>Hope you enjoyed It! :)<em>

_**Once again I really love and appreciate reviews so please click that review button and leave a comment!**_


	10. Practical Magic

_a quick update :O _

_that's so rare for me! _

_anways guys, I've got a six week break, three for uh, "studying" but that's not gonna happen much so I can use that time to get more Chapters finished for this! Yay! _

_**Thank you so, so much for all the reviews! You guys honestly made my day! **_

_ok, so the Title of this Chapter comes from one of my favourite Movies of the same name. :)_

_also, please note that this chapter does delve a little into things discussed in one of the Doctor Who novels _

**_(Forever Autumn by Mark Morris) _**

_slight** spoilers** if you haven't read that. I myself haven't read it and only looked at the summary so perhaps this is completely different to the book. sorry if it is,but I wanted an existing alien for this chapter and that was the closest I could find to what I had in mind. Look out fot the reference to **"the Shakespeare Code"** aswell! If this is making no sense just ignore it and read on guys, It'll make sense later :) _

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><p><strong>Chapter Nine: Practical Magic<strong>

_The following is the part of the only remaining file from the Written Record Of Time (WROT.) All electronic records belonging to this organization were wiped clean by the BadWolf virus. For those who do not know, the organization headquarters were burnt to the ground following the end of the Time Agency in the early 52__nd__ century. WROT's purpose was to keep a record of events which, according to senior Time Agents, had shaped the universe. The file that remains details battles engaged by ancient species before time itself. This section in particular details the war between the Carrionites and their enemies, the Hervoken, before a species known as the Eternals banished them into the Deep Darkness. Only a single unknown Time Agent was there to witness the events that took place, as recorded here._

The battle raged on all around me, the savage cries of death somehow heard over the clash of these two formidable opponents. There would be no end to this war just as there had been no beginning. The Carrionites had despised the Hervoken for eons, jealous of their superior 'magical' ability. The only thing stopping the Hervoken from triumphing was their lack of strategy, as I noticed. Watching them communicate through their strange rituals of chanting and praying I came to realise that they expected that their 'magic' alone would help them to succeed. Arrogance it seemed, had stemmed from the ancient times.

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><p><strong>St Petersburg, Soviet Headquarters. December 1905.<strong>

"Well, _this_ is suitably creepy" River said with a shiver as they entered the deserted soviet headquarters.

Moonlight shone in through the large windows, throwing shadows on the opposite walls while upturned tables and pieces of paper left scattered on the ground gave the room the appearance of a crime scene. The warning sign attached to the wall with the Tsar's signature under it didn't exactly help either.

"All occupants of this building have been arrested for crimes against the crown and country. Any occupants who chose to enter hereafter shall meet the same fate. This order has been issued by the Tsar Nicholas himself." The Doctor read, frowning as he did so, "well it's no use telling us after we've entered the building now is it?' he said, shaking his head as he turned to the nearest table.

He crouched down under the table and ran his hand along the ground hurriedly, hoping that his fingers would stumble across something vaguely sonic –like.

"It's odd that there were no guards here though" River commented from somewhere up above him.

"Yes, well, you'd know all about the ins and outs of guarding now wouldn't you" The Doctor muttered under breath in an annoyed tone.

He had rather thought she spent too much time kissing her guards in Stormcage and not enough time kissing him. Thank heavens she didn't have to go back there anymore.

"well" River drawled in a tone that almost sent shivers of delight up his spine before she finished her sentence, "It was them doing the uh, ins and outs"

The Doctor thought both of his hearts had stopped beating for a second there, his eyes wide as he looked up at her, "WHAT?" he yelped and River laughed in response, "Just kidding dear" she replied as she patted him on the shoulder affectionately.

"I'm pretty sure they were all terrified of me by the third week in anyway"

The Doctor laughed half-heartedly, still recovering from shock as he bent his head towards the floor again in order to look for the sonic. His hands scrambled erratically along the wooden floor, occasionally knocking against the table legs until he came across something. It didn't seem like the sonic, in fact, it was a most unusual shape indeed. Soft and squishy up the top but with some sort of leather encasing.

"Riverr! Move your foot!" The Doctor cried in irritation, only to hear her voice answer hesitantly from somewhere behind him, "Sweetie... I'm standing over here"

The Doctor gulped, slowly lifting his head higher. He could see now why they hadn't noticed the person before, their black robes blended in perfectly with the dark interior. An equally dark coloured and ragged looking beard followed the robes until finally the Doctor landed on a face. One look at those blazing hypnotic eyes and he knew exactly who it was.

"Rasputin" He said in a not at all pleasant tone as he slowly got to his feet, fixing his bowtie as if it would make him look more intimidating. Behind him, he heard a rustle of movement and knew that River was now standing to his right, no doubt with her hand already reaching for the gun she kept at all times.

If Rasputin noticed them, he gave no indication, staring directly ahead at the door as if he were trying to burn a hole through the oak wood with his glare alone.

Frowning at this lack of acknowledgment the Doctor used this opportunity to glance over the other man, mentally assessing him. Druidic like clothes, check. Creepy eyes, check. Glowy green thingy in his arm...

"Wait a second!" He cried out loud in outrage"He's got the sonic, my sonic!" He turned to River and yelped once more, "River he's got my sonic!"

His wife rolled her eyes, "Yes dear I heard you the first time"

"SILENCE!" Rasputin cried suddenly in such a commanding way that the other two immediately quietened down and spun back to face him, not really understanding why they were obeying him.

"That is the name of the creatures who haunt you, haunt your memories, your dreams" Rasputin went on, his voice rising now as he held out trembling hand, pointing to River in an accusing way. "I have seen their ways and I declare them mediocre. And yet they rule your lives. Humans, weak as you are."

River froze, a stunned expression on her face. The Doctor in contrast crossed his arms and began to study the other man once more, "What are you? No, don't tell me" He corrected himself, gesturing with his hand for everyone to forget that he had said that, "I'll work it out, just give me a second"

Rasputin ignored him once more, addressing River instead, "Why would you come here when it is not your place to do so?" he asked, taking a step towards her, his eyes burning into her very soul.

"I heard about what happened this morning and thought I would come here and see the traitors quarters for myself" River replied without hesitation, slipping back into her Lady Dominika persona smoothly as if she were a born liar, which, the Doctor reminded himself, she was.

"Not this establishment" Rasputin cried angrily, his arms waving about the air like a giant bat flapping its wings. "This land, why would you come here, burdened with the truth as you are?"

He eyes widened in shock at that. The last time they had met she had assumed that Rasputin's "mysticism" consisted of a bag of tricks and what was known as cold reading. This was something else however, River Song couldn't be read, not if she wished it so. She took a step away from him, her heels hitting the back of something very solid.

River turned briefly to glimpse the wooden box that was the TARDIS, left there from this morning, it had remained unnoticed by the guards, and even, she thought with surprise, by them.

Upon seeing the ancient blue box Rasputin's eyes glowed a fierce red, cowering back in fear, "My enemies reside in there" he cried, dropping the sonic screwdriver to the floor and shielding his face with the sleeve of his robes.

"aha!" The Doctor cried triumphantly, bending down to scoop up the sonic and deposit it safely back in his pocket. "Yes Rasputin, we do live in there!" he cried, rapping a knuckle on the side of the TARDIS which hummed softly in reply.

"No!' Rasputin cried, his voice muffled by his sleeves. "You are not my enemy Timelord, they are"

A frown settled on River's forehead and she turned to look at the Doctor who was now jumping up and down on the spot excitedly, pointing to Rasputin, "I know who he is!" he cried, bounding past her and opening the TARDIS doors, warm orange light flooded the patch of ground they were standing on and River sighed, feeling a sense of ease wash over her.

"Give me a second" She heard him cry from inside as she leaned against the TARDIS. "Magic, strange chanting, a bit of praying from what I've heard, oh I can't believe I didn't see it before"

He was back in less then a minute, shutting the door with a snap of his fingers. She still didn't understand how he did that.

"What in the name of sanity is that?" she scoffed, pointing to the crystal ball in his hands.

He beckoned her closer, pointing to the globe in his hands and curious, she obeyed. As she edged closer she could see a large number of what appeared to be robes, swirling about inside of the crystal in shades of red and black. As soon as she was overlooking the globe she could see more clearly now and realised that they were in fact, twig coloured aliens whose faces looked peculiarly like skeletal ravens. Their elongated limbs hung uselessly in front of them like the legs of a bird, which they occasionally used to snatch at another alien that crossed their path.

"Carrionites" The Doctor cried triumphantly, ignoring Rasputin's moan of terror as he juggled the crystal ball between his hands. "Escaped from the Deep Darkness"

There was a sharp intake of breath from River, "I thought they were just legends, fairytales"

The Doctor sighed, shaking his head, "aren't we all?" he grinned back, quoting her.

"Oh no, you're a nightmare sweetie" she sniggered in reply, and he shot her an annoyed expression before turning back to Rasputin.

"You my friend are a Hervoken, arch enemy of the Carrionites" As he stated this, The Doctor began to casually walk towards the other man who backed away in fear. "But, it's a bit more then that now isn't it?" he asked in a low voice, crossing the floor quickly so that he was now standing directly behind the man. Rasputin hissed at him, walking back towards the exit now.

"Oh no you don't, we want the whole story" The Doctor said in a mocking voice before he looked up at River and said in his normal tone, "catch!" throwing the crystal ball over Rasputin's head.

She caught it expertly in one hand, spinning it like it was a basketball as she took a step towards Rasputin, "To be honest, I've had enough magical mumbo-jumbo" River said in sardonic tone, smiling sinisterly at Rasputin.

If the legends were true then the Hervoken were a terrible species, capable of great power, and destruction. But River Song wasn't one to judge one on according to their species, she also knew of Rasputin's involvement in the Revolution, he was a man who would help to bring about the death of the Romanovs.

"Mumbo-jumbo" she heard The Doctor say thoughtfully from across the room, "Oho I like that word, that's a brilliant word." He snapped back suddenly to the other alien, his eyes narrowed as he spoke, "You've been using your 'magic' to worm your way into the Royal Family oh, very clever. But whatever you're up to, it ends here!"

If Rasputin heard a word he had said, it didn't appear that he cared all that much. Instead he cried out, "How could they have escaped as well? None but I was spared when the Eternals banished us" He began to walk towards the Doctor, his glowing eyes searching the Time Lord's for some kind of explanation, "New words" He cried, positively hysteric now, "they found new words"

"Easy there!" The Doctor cried, backing away from him and holding out his hands so that River could throw the globe over to him once more.

She did so with such force that he nearly dropped it, catching it with the mere tips of his fingers and quickly drawing it up to his chest so that it did not break. He held it out in front of him and Rasputin instantly shrunk back, covering his eyes once more.

"Right" The Doctor said in a serious tone, taking a step forwards which the other man countered with a step back. "The truth, now!" He finished with another step forwards, reaching out and lightly pushing Rasputin onto one of the chairs that had been left unturned.

The Doctor motioned for River to stand next to him. She instead lifted up one of the other chairs and sat down in a relaxed manner, crossing her legs and resting her chin on her hand as if waiting for a bedtime story.

Rasputin glared angrily at her, spitting on the ground and crossing his arms defiantly, forcing the Doctor to wave the crystal ball in his face. The other man flinched violently and immediately began to speak, "I was abandoned by my mother during the great Hervoken-Carrionite War. She was ashamed of what she had created and so left me to my father's people"

The Doctor let out a low whistle, dropping the globe away from the alien's face, "You're not pure Hervoken then?"

Rasputin shook his head sadly, "Indeed, I am not" he paused, sighing heavily in a way that almost made River pity him before he went on, "You said Doctor, that we are both the last of our kind. That is not strictly true for I am not the last, but the _only_ Half Hervoken-Half Carrionite in existence"

"An entirely new species conceived together despite the hate they had for each other" River said softly, reaching out to pat him on the shoulder.

"My mother was a Carrionite yes, My Father a Hervoken. They fell in love, but when I was born she became ashamed, I was tainted with Hervoken blood, and the other Carrionites would not accept me. Carrionites did not marry; they did not usually give birth either. They murdered my father during the war in revenge for corrupting one of their own" He added.

"So you were raised by the Hervoken, raised to hate your mother's people" The Doctor finished for him sympathetically as he turned over the nearest chair and sat down next to River.

"The Hervoken did not notice that I was tainted, they we too busy fighting the war." Rasputin went on, tapping his foot on the ground nervously. "But then the Eternals came, descending on the battle and manipulating matter as they did. A great void appeared in the heart of the fighting and one by one, the Hervoken and Carrionites alike disappeared from the universe."

"How did you escape?" River asked curiously, leaning forwards in interest.

Rasputin answered her unwillingly, pausing between words as if unsure whether he should go on or not, "The Eternals, they couldn't decide my fate. The Hervoken were cast into one side of the void and The Carrionites to the other. I was considered both and they lacked the imagination to see the truth. They left me alone. For centuries I drifted through space, watching as civilisations were created and destroyed. Until finally, I landed on this planet many years ago, when they still believed in magic. I was worshipped by some of these humans." He finished with a sneer. "And then I heard the cry of another group of god-like creatures who looked so much like my father's kind" Here he sat up straighter, his eyes alight as he continued, "I attempted to travel forward in Time to find them Doctor, can you imagine, such a magic has never been attempted before I don't think" He cried and the Doctor rolled his eyes, "yes, completely new. Never been done before" The Timelord replied sarcastically, but Rasputin was too lost in his memories to bother reading his mind.

"But alas, I arrived too late; my father's people had been thwarted once more. Disappointed, I tried to return to the time when man worshipped me, but instead I found myself here." Rasputin's face fell at this, his expression unreadable as he stared at the ground.

The Doctor meanwhile, cleared his throat awkwardly, fiddling with his collar as he determinedly looked away from the other man. River stared at him suspiciously, "Doctor," she began slowly, "You wouldn't know anything about that now would you?" The Doctor said nothing, but his actions were making it more and more obvious by the second, "Doctor!" River cried once more, her voice a few decibels louder now.

"They were going to ruin Halloween!" The Doctor snapped back defensively. "_And _destroy innocent people!" he added when River gave him an unconvinced look.

Rasputin looked up in wonder, his eyes settling on the Doctor."My People died-be-because of you!" Rasputin cried ferociously, spit flying form his mouth.

"Oops, Time to go!" The Doctor cried, quickly standing up and grabbing River's wrist so that she followed him.

Rasputin on the other hand rose more slowly, deliberately, his eyes burning once more, as the Doctor, juggling the Carrionite globe in one hand and tugging River along with the other, turned back to glance at him. The other man raised his hand, pointing at them both as he chanted unrecognisable words under his breath.

"Salt, I should always carry salt!' The Doctor cried angrily as he broke into a run, River following close behind.

"What the hell is salt going to do?" River yelled back in reply.

"Salt repels Hervoken 'magic'!"

They both ducked as something excruciatingly hot flew over their heads and collided with the door. When they looked up it was to see a large smoking hole which had cut through the width of the wood so that they could see the night sky outside perfectly.

"And to think I actually felt sorry for the little bastard!' River spat angrily, reaching for the gun strapped to her thigh. Without bothering to turn she lifted the gun behind her and fired twice, cursing when she didn't hear the cry of pain she was so accustomed to when she whipped out her weapon.

"Into the TARDIS now!" The Doctor cried, reaching backwards and snatching her gun out of her hands. He ignored her protests and ducked again as another one of Rasputin's 'spells' flew past them. The Doctor somehow managed to click his fingers together, despite his hands being full and watched as the Tardis doors creaked open.

Hastily he flung River's gun into the doors, and cried out "Fetch!" to her with a cheeky smile though he knew that would earn him some sort of punishment later.

River growled fiercely, bounding ahead of him inside the TARDIS in order to retrieve her gun and the Doctor followed soon after, shutting the doors and leaning against it.

"Well" He panted, trying to regain his breath as he heard the sound of things breaking from somewhere inside the TARDIS. "That was eventful"

"How far did you throw the damn thing?" River cried from the next room, her voice accompanied by the sound of something else falling to the floor.

The Doctor shrugged, leaning off the door and ambling over to the console.

He laughed silently, patting the console as he tossed the Carrionite globe onto the chair behind him. It was going to take her an age to find it again.

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><p><em>Hope you all liked it :)<em>

_feel free to hit that review button and leave a comment, I welcome every peice of advice :D_


	11. Some More Equal Than Others

_**A/N:** hi guys! so sorry for the break between updates! _

_i do intend to finish this fic however, i promise!_

_anyways, just a little Archaeological joke in this chapter that i thought i'd add but i'm noit sure anyone will get it :( anyway, less funny if i explain it but i'll will, Heinrich Schliemann wasnt a proprer Arcaheologist, more like a loud, slighlty obnoxious pirate, in a suit! _

_Chapter title taken from a line in George Orwell's Animal Farm "**All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others"** for those who don't know, the book was based on Soviet Rule. _

_Also, If you haven't watched the movie** Inception** then the "historical reference" below might not make sense, sorry! _

_**Warning: This chapter contains swearing!** _

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Ten: Some More Equal Than Others<strong>

_T__he following is an extract from an online politically based blog written by a journalist named K.W Matherson in 2015. This extract, along with its further 4 pages formed the week 7 readings for 1st year Journalism students at the Lunar University during the years 5123 to 5126 C.E and can now be accessed via the university's library computers. The title of the piece is "Perception: the usurper of Authority" and parodies the Earth Film Inception to a degree._

**The Architect:** society, manipulates the situation with the perfect environment to stimulate anarchy.

**The extractor:** the people's perceptions of those in power, drawing out weaknesses through dangerous over confidence.

**The point man:** the economy, isn't it always the let biggest let down?

**The tourist**: the media, don't we tend to just come and go as we please?

**The forger:** the ego of a person is a delicate thing that creates delusions.

**The mark**: Authority.

Perception is everything, that is what we are told. And in the case of Authority that is almost always true.

* * *

><p><strong>The Time Vortex<strong>

It took River just over two hours to locate her gun. She found it lying atop a pile of clothes in the Tardis wardrobe as if it belonged there.

With a triumphant cry she dived down and picked it up, replacing it in the holster strapped to her waist before she turned and exited the room.

The Doctor was leaning against the console, waiting for her with his arms crossed and a smirk written on his face that she wanted to slap him silly for.

"Where to now Lady Dominika." He chuckled as he spun around to pilot his ship.

"Shall we pay a visit to your pal the Tsar" he asked, hanging onto the last word with evident distaste.

River shot him a glare as she pointed to her gun before she replied coolly, "oh let him wait, there's a Soviet meeting tonight remember"

The Doctor laughed, "Soviets, Lenin, Comrades, I love this country!"

River laughed softly as she gave him a gentle push away from the console,

"You could let me fly her!" He protested.  
>"Or we could go where we're supposed to" she retorted as she leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.<p>

The Doctor blushed and reached up to brush his hand across the place where her lips had been moments before.

_This,_ River reminded herself, _was what she loved about her relationship with the Doctor. No matter how early in his time stream this would always exist between them, the endless banter that had become a shared mantra for them. In an ever shifting romance if there was one thing she could count on it was that string of phrases, echoing across every facet of the universe. The story of The Devil himself and Hell in High Heels. "I hate you" "no you don't" "hi honey I'm home"_  
><em>"And what sort of time do you call this?" "You embarrass me" "Spoilers"<em>

The Doctor had once told her she would never change. She just hoped he wouldn't either, her Doctor.

She had seen the rage that lurked behind those hazel eyes, boyish and charming at first glance, ancient and weary after that.

"He never interferes in the affairs of other people or planets, unless there's children crying" Her mother used to say.

Did Anastasia cry? knowing the fate that would befell her siblings and parents.

River cleared her throat, hastily turning away so that she could hold down the closest lever.

"So, the Petrograd Soviet?" She asked with a smile.

* * *

><p><strong>Public Residence, 3rd December 1905.<strong>

The small two storey house was only marginally occupied  
>by those Soviets who had managed to escape imprisonment. It was a sorry sight, maybe 30 or more people with none among them being prominent members, Trotsky and Lenin were both across the border, Alexandra and Parvus were currently sitting in a jail cell along with many others.<p>

"The last meeting of the Petrograd Soviet" River whispered under breath as she and the Doctor climbed up the front stairs of the house, trying not to notice the undisguised wealth and grandeur. Clearly whoever owned this was a double agent like her, and while she didn't like to be a hypocrite, it was downright appalling in her opinion.

"The last meeting for now" The Doctor corrected, sliding the sonic screwdriver into the top pocket of his tweed blazer._ On December 3rd the Petrograd soviet was dismissed until its re-establishment, the Octorber Manifesto was what saw to its demise._

"Who owns this?" River asked, glancing up at the structure with a raised eyebrow.

The Doctor shrugged, "no idea, guess we'll find out"

He slipped his arm around her waist discretely as they reaches the last step, pulling her closer towards him and casting a weary eye at the men lazing about under the tiny porch who smiled at his wife in a way that he deemed far too friendly.

"Mika!" He heard one of them cry and looked up immediately, letting out a groan of despair as he caught sight of a familiar face.

The owner of that voice was none other than Boris, the Soviet guard with intense dislike for him. The feeling was mutual.

"We thought you had died Mika!" Boris cried, swinging a bottle of vodka in his hand as he staggered to his feet. His red veined eyes landed on the Doctor and narrowed into slits, "we _hoped_ you were dead" he muttered as he stumbled forwards.

"Thanks" The Doctor retorted sarcastically as River patted his shoulder in a sympathetic manner.

"Well we're both very much alive," River told the drunk man in a business like tone, "who owns this house? From what I can gather all of our leaders have either left the country or in prison."

Boris shrugged, taking a swig out of the bottle as if it were water. River raised an eyebrow, even she had to admit that that would kill. Vodka, straight.

She'd done that a couple of times and almost immediately regretted it. But it was a good relief for pain and when you'd just been chased halfway across a galaxy by a group of Cybermen and ended up with gashes all over your body? Well, les just say that Russian Vodka had its uses.

"Leaders, bah! Where are they all? Wether they are here it there they do not truly stand with their people. This man who owns the house, he is the same. He preaches to us about the joy of being free of riches yet he lives like a king. Mark my words Mika, even if the Tsar steps down we will only go from one dog ruling our Russia to another." And with that he fell down on the porch, arms bent at odd angles with the bottle still clasped in his hand, the liquor inside slowly dripping onto the floor, pooling around his unconscious form.

The Doctor and River acted as one, rushing towards the man and kneeling on the floor beside him. As the Doctor checked for a pulse River gently prised the bottle out of the man's grasp and righted it, covering the top with her hand as she scanned the floor for the lid.

The Doctor shot her an outraged look to which she replied, "no point wasting good liquor!"

He wisely chose to ignore her, "its ok he's still alive, but I'm guessing he's going to be angry when he wakes up and discovers that you've stolen his drink." The Doctor finished pointly as he let the man's wrist drop back to the ground.

With a toss of her curls she replied, "he bought it using the funds for weapons and as the authority on weapons I have every right to confiscate it"

"And that's your justification is it?" The Doctor said, though he couldn't help but smile just a little. "Oh you bad girl."

River smirked but said nothing as she stood up and held her free hand out to him. The Doctor gratefully accepted, letting her pull him to his feet a little too enthusiastically so that he almost fell ontop of her.

Her grip on his hand slackened so that he could pull her close to him once more, fingers running up and down her spine. River shivered, letting out a soft moan as the Doctor leaned towards her.

"Oh for gods sake get a bloody room!" An irritated voice cried from the doorway of the house.

The both jumped violently. "Every time!" The Doctor growled in frustration as he turned to find Professor Book once again peering in on them, his arms crossed as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Well maybe Doctor, you should chose a more appropriate time to get cosy with your wife" Book replied smugly. "There are kids present you know!" He added.

"Yes, I'm staring at one" the Doctor muttered under breath.

"What was that?" Book asked in mild disapproval.

"John!" River cut across him hastily as she untangled herself from the Doctor's grasp and strode over to the other man.

"You were supposed to meet the Tsar" John said in a low voice as soon as she reached him.  
>"Change of plan" River replied smoothly, "who called this meeting? Everyone we know is somewhere else"<p>

John beamed at her a little too pleased which made her rather suspicious. "Glad you asked Ms Song"

"Doctor Song" she corrected once again.

"Forgive me, old habits and all" John apologized before going on, "after the October Manifesto he turned up, notepad in one hand, he's a rather interesting figure I might say"

"John! Who is he?" River asked impatiently as The Doctor bounded over to them, "yes John, who is he?" He repeated, though he didn't have the faintest idea of what they were discussing.

"Another Time Traveller, just like us, though a little more, well, you'll see" John trailed off. The Doctor frowned gesturing to both of them, "no, no, no, you lot aren't time travellers, you're Archaeologists, time travellers" he gestured to himself, "point and laugh at Archaeologists"

River raised an eyebrow, opening her mouth to begin what would no doubt escalate into World War three. (before world war one or two had actually happened)

Book sensing trouble hastily shouted over the top of them, "no time for talking, not when history is being made, come along now" as he pulled them into the house.

They both glanced around the interior, one in interest, the other in disgust.

The entrance of the house was a spacious room which ended with a wide sweeping staircase to the floor above. On either side, curved doorways led into the parlour and dining room respectively. The carpet was a luxurious cream colour while heavy red velvet curtains framed the windows, every inch of mahogany furniture displaying ornamentation.

"That," The Doctor growled, pointing to a holographic map of St Petersburg, "is abuse of the privilege of a Time Traveller."

"Ah but he's not a time traveller is he" River replied with a smug grin, "at least, according to you sweetie"

"River this isn't funny, we're in a pre-industrialised country and he's showing off 51st century technology?" The Doctor growled.

"This man, your friend, I'd like a word with him" He said through gritted teeth as he spun around to face Book.  
>"I never said he was my friend"<p>

"Doctor, these people still believe in mysticism, for them its the work of another shaman." River explained quietly, "besides how do you think they'd react if they saw the inside of the TARDIS?" She was about to go on when an angry cry from behind them interrupted her,

"Bloody Fuckers, all of ya! Do you know one of them tried to steal my red figure vase? Fuckwits!"

River froze where she was as John sighed and The Doctor raised an eyebrow.

"God no!" She choked.

"Oh yes" John replied grimly, and she finally understood why he had been so mysterious before. "The Heinrich Schliemann of our age"

The Doctor muttered something under his breath about rubbish Archaeologist jokes as River turned to face the figure standing on the stairs.

The man wore a charcoal grey suit, green and red handkerchief peeking out of the breast pocket, his black hair slicked back and a ridiculous moustache that had made her cringe the first time she'd met him.

He couldn't be here, he was dead, his access card left in the archive of a library that wouldn't be built for another 3000 or so years.

"Garth?" Was all she could manage to say.

The man grinned down at her with sickening approval, "ah already heard if me ay? C.D Garth at your service."

She'd never believed that anyone could have an ego as large as the Doctor's, until she met her Revolution's lecturer, Professor C.D Garth.

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><p><strong>DUN DUN DUN!<strong>

_(C.D Garth was the man who River stole the access card from at the start of the story by the way!)_

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	12. What Kind Of Man That You Are

_I updated! I know, I'm shocked as well :O _

_Thank you for the lovely reviews and hello new reviewers! _

_Chapter title form lyrics to **Paramore's Decode**_

_also, the French in this chapter is taken form google translate. I know i'm lazy. I do have a friend who studied French and I should have asked her but it's late here and she's probably asleep so sorry for any mis-translation guys! _

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><p><strong>Chapter Eleven: What Kind Of Man That You Are <strong>

_The following is taken from the advice column in the Lunar University's student paper. This particular piece is titled "Love Thyself" and was produced on the 4__th__ of October 2160. The advisor was an aspiring journalist Mary Fellows, the inquirer is unknown as the ask box for the paper is open to anyone visiting the university and is anonymous. The student paper can now be accessed via the university's online library archive._

**Q. **Dear Mary F,

Hello there, wonderful weather we're having isn't it? Well, I mean on the day I wrote this the weather was wonderful, if the moon had an atmosphere anyway. I'm rambling now aren't I? I'll get back to the point. I'm normally rubbish at asking for help but I have no choice this time and I'm rather curious about how this whole advice thing works. You see, my wife has left me. Well, not left me, she's sort of, kind of, missing. I'm assuming it's because of something I haven't done yet, am doing...have done? Tenses, can't keep them right in your head sometimes. What should I do? I would never tell her this but I miss her.

Cheerio,

Certainly _not_ a Medical Professional.

**A.** Dear Certainly not a Medical Professional,

Blimey that's quite the name you've got there! If your wife has left you then there's really nothing you can do I'm afraid. Perhaps she'll realise that she misses you too and comes back but you can't keep waiting around for that to happen. It will only make you feel worse and that's the last thing you need now. Clearly you love her very much, but you need to love yourself as well. I suggest that you get out there, you need time to heal, do things you enjoy, love yourself before you choose to love again. Just don't try to run after her because that will probably just complicate the situation, she may just need some space.

Hope that helps,

Mary Fellows.

***three weeks later* **

**Q.** Dear Mary,

I'm going to chase after her. Thanks for all the advice.

Yours truly,

Certainly not a medical Professional.

* * *

><p><strong>Public Residence, December 1905. <strong>

River didn't know whether to feel annoyed, disgusted or utterly terrified. On the one hand Garth was an arrogant prick and like everyone in the 51st century a shameless flirt, but essentially he was harmless as she had discovered, well, as she would discover in his future, when he died. It was his presence here that scared her. Whatever his faults Garth was a dedicated researcher. She thought back to how this had all begun, _so long ago in the future. Well, that was her life,_ she reasoned. His book, the spine cracking with age and careless hands, was what had led her here to Russia.

_The shadow_ the people called him. As River had read on she'd discovered further mention of the Doctor throughout the book. She remembered curling up on the couch in the hut by the fireplace, glass of wine in one hand as she flicked through the pages with apprehension, always dreading those two words._ The shadow._ He was present for everything, every moment that shaped Communism in Russia, the shadow lurked in the background, because that is precisely what shadows did.

_If Garth was here now, did that mean that he had witnessed the assassination firsthand? Had he actually seen the Doctor order the execution of innocent people?_ The thought made River's blood run cold. _No, it couldn't be, why would he deny the Doctor's existence in his book if he had seen it happen? It didn't make sense. Nothing did. _

"Greek Archaic period, it's an original" Garth's loud obnoxious tone brought her back to the present. She realised that he must have assumed she was staring at the statue in front of her. A 4 foot tall marble work of art leaning against the wall.

"Completely rubbish though, geometric artists always were, body shape all wrong, poor girl looks like a bloody log!" Garth was raving now, spit flying from his mouth, River winced.

If there was one thing she didn't miss about university, it was _Revolution and Retribution_ the subject she had regretfully chosen in her second year.

"Professor Garth" she began as he descended the stairs towards her with a smile that made her sick.

The Doctor glanced first to her and then at the other man, eyes narrowing as he took a step towards her.

"Call me Conrad" Garth replied with a wink.

"Who is he?" The Doctor asked, looking first to his wife and then to John for answers.

"My old lecturer" River replied and couldn't help but roll her eyes despite the situation. "Tell me Grace hasn't met him yet?" She asked, turning briefly to face Book.

The archaeologist grimaced in response, "unfortunately she has, which is why she's at the hideout at this moment, possibly downing my whiskey like it's water" He finished slowly as if the thought that his wife was finishing his precious liquor had just occurred to him. "And on that note I bid you both good night" He went on with a slight smile as he hastily shook the Doctor's and then River's hand.

"I completely understand" River returned, lifting her hand up so that Book could catch a glimpse of the vodka bottle in her hand with a wide grin.

"Say goodbye to our uh, friend" with that Book sprinted for the door, pushing past curious soviet members.

"Archaeologists" The Doctor muttered under breath.

River turned to contest his words, a reply already on her lips before she stopped herself, this wasn't the time nor place. "Doctor," she began softly.

He took a step towards her, leaning in so that he could hear her better. River gave an involuntary shiver which didn't go unnoticed. The Doctor raised an eyebrow, a mildly hurt expression on his face before he shuffled back, away from her. "Doctor we need to talk..." she began to say once more only to be cut off by Garth.

"So, here to see the last Soviet meeting are we? I'll be doing the talking here you know" the Historian boasted, gesturing to the other soviet members wandering aimlessly around his house.

"Yes we gathered as much" River replied dryly dismissing him as she turned back to her husband.

Garth had to be wrong. Doctor was the word for healer, and wise man it was not a translation for cold-blooded murderer. _But he could be,_ a cold voice in the back of her mind hissed, _it's not above him to kill those who can't redeem themselves. Nicholas she could understand, for what had happened that Sunday she could honestly say that she felt no pity over his death, but what of Anastasia? She was innocent in all of this. _The voice refused to be silenced, _Ah but she had to die too, or else she would grow up and become just like her father. _She was immediately appalled at that. Not only was she doubting her husband but that sweet child a_s well? Both of her childhood heroes stood side by side, could one be the killer of the other? What if the Doctor had to do it, fixed points can't be re-written, he'd refused that Sunday, what's to say he won't refuse again? _River shivered once more.

"River?" the Doctor asked, concern in his eyes that overwhelmed her with guilt. She'd lied to him twice_. "Do you trust this man" "I absolutely trust him" "trust me?" "Always"_ Whose actions should she be horrified at? Her own or The Doctor's? The question hung in the air, waiting for an answer.

"Doctor we have to go" She choked out, an idea forming in her mind that made not enough sense for her to understand at the moment.

"Go?" He replied, confused. His hazel eyes, so young and so old at the same time were completely fixated on her. "But we just got here"

"Please" she pleaded, tears already forming in her eyes, she couldn't let this happen, she wouldn't. Time can be re-written! Her entire world seemed like it was crumbling. She should believe in him, but why didn't she?

* * *

><p>River Sing never begged, she argued, she demanded, she got angry and slapped him, but the one thing the Doctor had never seen was his wife begging. Whatever was going on had her scared. He glanced warily at Garth who was currently going on about Roman sculptors now. It had something to do with that man, of that he was sure.<p>

"Ok" He said in a low voice, "Ok" he repeated, fixing his bowtie.

He watched as relief washed over her.

"Just give us a mo, something I have to check" he added after a second, lightly bopping her on the nose.

The anxiety returned to her face but she nodded nonetheless and left him in the company of her old lecturer, heading for the door as Book had done minutes ago.

"Where's she going then?" Garth asked, twiddling his moustache as he cocked his head to the side, watching her leave.

The Doctor bristled with anger as he realised exactly what the other man was doing.

He took a step in front of Garth, blocking the man's view of the retreating frame of his wife.

"Strange, I think I know her from somewhere" He commented as he tilted his head back up to the Doctor, a grin on his face.

"No" The Doctor growled, taking a step towards him menacingly, "I don't think you do"

Garth scoffed, "I suppose you're the obsessive boyfriend. Bit skinnier then I would expect, there's always a more well, macho one out there normally isn't there?"

His eyes darkened, the storm, _the oncoming storm._ "Actually, I'm her husband, so don't even think about it" He spat.

He'd never been this possessive before River. Something about her just brought that side out of him. Besides, whoever Garth was, his being here had put her on edge. She was too proud to admit it, but sometimes River needed saving, and he'd _saved_ her once hadn't he?

"You don't know me, you have no idea what I am capable of but frankly, I don't think you'd like to know" His voice was low, guttural. There was nothing he wouldn't do to protect those he loved. People said that you couldn't apply justice to an act of war. For the Doctor, one could not apply justice to the acts of love.

Garth gulped in response, taking a step backwards and stumbling as his heels hit the last stair.

"I-I"

"Doctor!" A voice rang out across the room, half angry, half shocked.

The Doctor whipped around, his eyes landing on the figure in the doorway. It was River, one hand still clasped around the liquor bottle as she met his gaze, her eyes wide. He immediately backed away from Garth like a schoolboy caught teasing another student by an irate teacher, scuffing the carpet with his shoes as he fixed his bowtie.

With a final glare in the direction of the other man the Doctor turned and strode briskly towards the door, River following in his wake.

"What was that?" She yelled angrily as soon as they were standing on the porch, her voice ringing in his ear.

"Nothing!" he replied as he took the steps two at a time. The Tardis was parked at the foot of the stairs, resting to the side on the pavement as if it belonged there. Without hesitation he pushed open the doors and marched inside, huffing as he did so. "He-He was..." The Doctor began to say, trying to find the right words to defend his actions. He gave up after a minute or two and spun around the console instead, refusing to meet River's angry glare.

"I can look after myself just fine thank you" She spat, leaving the bottle in her hands under one of the chairs on her way to the console where she begun to type in coordinates.

The Doctor watched her, brow furrowed. Hew was used to her refusal to ask for help, unless it included showing off in the process. But this was different, River wasn't just refusing assistance, she was refusing him.

"River" he said gently, reaching for her hand. She jerked away from his touch, leaving him to grasp thin air as she moved around the console effortlessly. _That was River, he thought to himself, slipping through his hands like water the more he tried to hold on to her. _

They stood on opposite sides of the console after that, a gaping chasm of unspoken words between them as one navigated and the other stood by silently. River made no effort to talk to him, her hands shaking as she pressed buttons and pulled down levers. Every now and again she'd look up, a pained expression etched on her face before it was gone, hidden by the mask she always seemed to wear. For the first time that evening it occurred to the Doctor that perhaps it wasn't Garth that had made River uncomfortable, perhaps it was him.

* * *

><p><strong>Winter Palace, Same date<strong>

Snow fell on the ground outside, settling on the barren tree trunks and the bare earth. The inside was warm, fireplaces casting a glow over the rooms.

The nursery was quiet when River stepped out of the Tardis, breathing heavily as if she had been running. The fire illuminated the white dressing gowns that the two girls wore, both seated in the armchairs, books open on their laps.

Anastasia was the first to look up, her eyes alight as she caught sight of the woman standing in the far corner next to the box that had come from nowhere. Her smile became an open laugh as the Doctor tumbled out of the doors and almost collided with his wife, smiling sheepishly at the girls.

_How was it,_ River thought to herself, _that everything always led back to her childhood? Like a circle, a never-ending circle, she'd run to a childhood she'd been partly deprived of when doubt clouded her vision. It was here in this room, months ago for everyone else, that she had convinced herself that the Doctor wouldn't be Anastasia's killer. Now it was here again that she found herself. _

"_Madame et Monsieur_" Anastasia grinned as she slid the book in her hands onto the floor and stood up at once. Her sister stayed where she was, casting a wary eye upon the Doctor.

"Chéri "The Doctor replied with an extravagant bow, his eyes twinkling.

River's hearts lifted, if only a bit as she watched their interaction.

Perhaps he would ultimately be faced with the choice to either save or end this little girls life, but she could make sure that he remembered this, and maybe, just maybe, it would influence that choice.

She watched as Anastasia ran towards them, holding out her hands so that she could throw them around the Doctor's neck. "Your French has gotten better" he remarked with a chuckle.

"As has yours _Monsieur. _It has been far too long since we first met" the little girl whispered, releasing her grip on him and turning to River, "and you Madame? Can you speak the French language as well?" she asked with all the eagerness of a child.

River winked as she bent down and whispered a few words in the girl's ear. Anastasia crinkled her nose,"I'm afraid my French is not so advanced" she said with a regretful sigh.

River translated for her, _l'amour est leur langage_ "Love _is _their language"

"Quite right" The Doctor whispered softly next to her, his breath tickling her skin. River sighed.

"And who is this?" The Doctor asked as Anastasia's sister finally rose from her chair.

"Ana, they're not supposed to be here!" Maria hissed, glancing wearily at the Doctor once more.

Anastasia gestured grandly to her sister, "Maria Romanov, Grand duchess of all Imperial Russia" she said before breaking off in a fit of giggles.

"Ana! Make them leave!" Maria went on, "If Father finds out he'll be cross!"

The Doctor grimaced, "well we wouldn't want that would we_ Lady _Dominika" he said in a staged whisper, nudging River.

_How easily that chasm between them closed. Just like that. This was the Doctor that she loved, the man who was known throughout the universe. That other man she'd seen intimidate garth? he was a stranger. _River remarked to herself, yet that same nagging voice in the back of her head retorted as is always did, _only looking for convenient answers to your questions will get you nowhere. If you only see what you want to see then you miss the obvious. _She pushed that thought away, _one moment; one perfect moment was all she needed._

She didn't get it.

"What do you think you are doing here?" A voice thundered from the doorway. Both River and The Doctor looked up, eyes landing on the figure before them. It was none other than the Tsar himself, Nicholas II, hand resting on the hilt of his sword as he glowered at them.

The Doctor gulped, "time to go?"

"Well" River answered, hand reaching for her gun, "you're the Timelord" she finished with a weak attempt to joke.

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><p><em><strong>PLEASE REVIEW!<strong>_

_I want to know whether or not people are enjoying this story! :)_


	13. A Songbird & An Old Hat

_Hello Sweeties! So,so so sorry for__ the gap between updates! _

_**A/N:** The song featured in this chapter is a Russian Folk song called "Dark Eyes" written by a Ukrainian poet named **Yevhen Hrebinka** which was was published in 1843. The translation used here is a loose one, and completely different to the lyrics in English which can be sung in tiem with the music. I just love the first translation too much not to include it! :D _

_also,** Chapter title** from Tom Riddle's line in **Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets** ~ "So this is what Dumbledore sends his great defender. A songbird and an Old Hat."_

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><p><strong>Chapter Twelve: A Songbird &amp; An Old Hat.<strong>  
><em><br>The following is an extract from a speech given by the 6th Emperor of the Andromeda Dynasty from the planet Neon-Clafia. The speech was made on the 12th month of the year 12,789 for the Indranian race or 5160 B.C.E for humans. For thirty years humans and Indranians had fought over an area known as the Median Strip, an uninhabited cluster of planets between their empires. The speech was given after a treaty was signed between the two races which insured safe passage between the planets for both parties. The speech is available today from the Lunar University's database._

"Our two great races have for many years now been at war, a war that has seen many casualties on both sides. This was an endless bloodthirsty battle that can no longer go on. Neither will benefit whether victory resides in the future of one race or not. For what is the point of an arm raised in salute over the bodies of fallen comrades who can not see you do so?"

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><p><em><strong>Winter Palace, December 3rd 1905. <strong>_

"Not so fast Monsieur Smith" The Tsar cried, moustache twitching menacingly as he aimed his sword at The Doctor's chest.

The Doctor froze where he was, raising his arms in surrender.

"Nicholas, we meant no harm" River began to explain, her _Lady Dominika_ persona in full swing as she struggled to her feet.

"Nicholas?" The Doctor asked, rounding on her, "Oh so you're on a first name basis now!"

"I'm not even sure if you're jealous of him or me right now!" River retorted, rolling her eyes.

The Doctor shot her an outraged look, unable to do anymore then stutter uselessly.

"Enough of this nonsense!" the Tsar thundered over the top of them.

Silence descended over the room. Anastasia used this opportunity to appeal to her father, "Papa I asked them to visit us..." she began to say only to have her father turn his gaze on her, sword still pointed threateningly at the Doctor.

"These people are traitors to the crown." He told her, turning back to River and The Doctor as he went on, "You were seen this evening, attending a gathering of revolutionaries."

"A meeting to end the revolutionary movement" River lied smoothly.

It was Nicholas' turn to stutter, "T-to end it?" he asked, amazement printed on his features. He lowered his sword an inch or two.

"Yes _Nicholas_" The Doctor replied with a triumphant look, "Guess your little spies neglected to mention that did they?"

"He-They did not tell me this" The Tsar admitted, sheathing his sword and offering a hand to the Doctor instead.

The Doctor looked down at the gesture in bewilderment. _For one of the most hated Monarchs of the Russian Empire Nicholas II was far too trusting of strangers. What was that saying? Better the Devil you know...yes, the Tsar didn't seem to take that one to heart. _He thought to himself, but nevertheless he accepted the handshake.

"I take it you were coming to visit me?"

River looked on the verge of denying that but the Doctor was too quick for her, "Yes, got a little lost on the way" He shot River a sideways glance, silently urging her to go along with his cover story.

She on the other hand, appeared to have different ideas. "My letter wasn't just the prophecies of a mad woman, was it?" she asked the Tsar coldly.

The Doctor frowned, glancing between them both. The Tsar on the other hand narrowed his eyes, fidgeting with the cuffs of his elaborate military jacket, "It would appear not Lady Dominika." He paused, glancing down at his two daughters who stood painterly in their white nightgowns before he went on, "the march occurred just as you had foretold"

"You told him about the march before it happened?" The Doctor asked angrily, "River, do you have any idea what could have happened?"

"But nothing happened now did it?" She replied bitterly. She took a step towards him and whispered in anguish, "Manchuria, Bloody Sunday, Red Terror, no matter what I do it will always happen. It's as if every event here is a fixed point"

"That's because they are, all of them. What happens here will shape the world for years to come" He replied swiftly. "Everyone has a part to play here whether they like it or not"

"I hope not" River replied in as soft voice so he could not hear.

"What are you whispering about?" The Tsar asked suspiciously, eyeing them both.

"The children" River replied smoothly, gesturing to the two girls standing silently beside her.

The Tsar glanced at them briefly before his eyes flickered back to her, "what about them"

"This isn't something to discuss in front of them" River answered. The Doctor shot her an appreciative glance. That was River, always well, _inventive._

The Tsar nodded at her words, "Of course, you two shall join me in the hall." It was not a request.

"Children, say goodnight to our guests"

Maria and Anastasia curtseyed as one, the latter smiling widely as she ran and threw her arms around River's waist. "So good to see you again Madame" she cried cheerfully. "and you Monsieur" she added, reaching for the Doctor's hand. He in turn bent down and lightly kissed the top of her head.

"You too Chéri" He murmured. He turned to do the same to her sister, only to have the child move away at the last moment, hiding behind River and shyly peeking out at him.

The Tsar's loud cough brought them all back to their senses. "We shall go now!" Nicholas informed them. With a quick goodbye to his daughters, the Tsar strode out of the room, one hand grasping the sheathed sword as if expecting to run into trouble.

The Doctor gestured to the door, "after you _honey_" he chuckled, hanging onto the endearment. River rolled her eyes and pushed past him, following the Tsar out of the room. She lingered on the threshold for a single moment, glancing back at the children who were already going back to the armchairs by the fireplace, before she turned back to the long hallway outside of the room.

The Doctor found himself falling into step besides her, glancing around at the same hallway he had traversed down 11 months before. It hadn't changed much since then. From what he could see, the Tsar was already 12 feet in front of them, relentlessly striding towards a set of double doors.

"We're going to the ballroom" The Doctor muttered, it was more of a question than a statement.

River frowned but did not answer.

As they approached the end of the hallway the haunting music of the orchestra wafted through the crack in the doors, accompanied by the sound of frivolous chatter and general laughter. Nicholas threw open the doors so that they got a better look at the goings on. He disappeared seconds later, swallowed up by a crowd of men, all wearing identical black suits.

The ballroom was just as the Doctor had remembered it, ablaze with wealth and decadence, chandeliers sparkling, jewellery glittering; it almost made him feel sick. He glanced sideways at River and found that she too was eyeing their surroundings with undisguised disgust just as she had at the soviet meeting.

"The overt riches of the upper class, or the undelivered promises of the revolutionaries?" He asked her grimly, "take your pick"

"This isn't entirely Nicholas' fault" River shot back as way of a reply.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, "I never said it was, but while we're discussing _Nicky..._" he began in a quiet voice.

"He's not fit to run a country Doctor; everyone can see that so what do they do? They take advantage of that fact!" River retorted angrily before he could go on, "I'm not denying the things he has done, will do, but there are many at work here who are just as much to blame" He started in surprise when she glared at him as if somehow this was his fault before she turned on her heel and strode into the ballroom.

"RIVER!" he called after her, throwing his hands up in frustration. From what Amy had told him she had always blamed him for tragedies in history, even as a child. "Some things never change" he sighed under breath as he dove into the ballroom, pushing past startled nobles as he did so.

By the time he located her, (after accidently knocking over an Old Russian lady with a walking stick and brushing off the advances of all five daughters of a single aristocrat) River was already on the other end of the room, leaning against the stage which the orchestra were seated upon. She was engaged in conversation with someone the Doctor could not see, though from the look on her face she was definitely not uncomfortable in the stranger's presence.

Grumbling under breath he wove through the group of elderly Russians in front of him and found himself standing directly next to his wife, turning around to face the stranger as he slid one hand around River's waist.

He was surprised to find that the man was quite young, somewhere between 18 and 21 with dark hair and a handsome face. Like all of he other men he was dressed in a dark black suit and grasped a champagne flute in one hand.

"I don't believe I've ever seen you before Monsieur" He said in a loud voice, eyes twinkling as he extended his free hand to the Doctor.

River smiled broadly at the man, "Felix, this is my husband..." "Sir John Smith" the doctor finished for her, shaking the man's hand firmly.

River turned to him, "This is Felix Yusupov, Count Sumarokov-Elston's son" she said proudly, gesturing to the young man who grinned back affectionately.

"Why Mika" He began in mock sorrow, "All this time you've spent saying that I'm far too young for you and yet you're husband here is barely past 30 summers."

"He's much older than that, I assure you" River replied, winking at him.

Much to The Doctor's surprise Felix turned to him, his eyes glancing him over appreciatively before he added, "and quite handsome too"

The Doctor blushed a deep shade of red, his hands waving about erratically. "Th-thanks" was all he managed to answer, after fighting off the advances of 5 women at once, he was pretty sure he just didn't have the force to dismiss anyone else.

"How long have you both been wed?" Felix inquired; lifting the champagne glass to his lips and draining the contents in one go.

"Well..." The Doctor replied, shooting a glance at River. _That was the trouble with their relationship wasn't it? It was always at a different stage for the other one. _"It's complicated" he finished lamely, pulling River closer to him. She stiffened under his touch.

Felix on the other hand seemed not to notice anything wrong; on the contrary he threw his head back and laughed loudly, "Married too long to remember, right?" He asked, patting the Doctor on the shoulder.

"Yes" The Doctor lied, gesturing to the other man airily, "completely right, isn't he dear?"

River was on the verge of rectifying this before Felix leant in towards them and said in a staged whisper, "If there's ever a time you decide that three is a better figure than two I am most happy to oblige" He finished with a hearty chuckle.

"We'll keep that in mind sweetie" River replied, her voice low and husky as she briefly placed a hand on the aristocrats arm.

Felix's eyes darkened, taking in the both of them before he carried on in a loud voice once more, "I'd better go and find that brother of mine, see what trouble he's got himself into. It was wonderful to see you again Madame Pertovosk, and an honour to meet you Monsieur Smith."

Without waiting for a reply he leant forwards once more and pressed a quick kiss to each of their lips before hurrying away through the crowd and leaving the Doctor to stand rooted to the spot, a stunned expression printed on his features.

River smirked at his astonishment, "Felix Yusupov, Philanthropist, eccentric and a little more, _open_ to ideas than most" She said, gesturing to the young man.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow and gulped, "Well this is Russia" He said after he had composed himself, "feminist movements, abolishment of the monarchy, industrialisation, makes sense that they're, what did you call it? _Open to ideas_."

She sniggered in response as she turned away from him and began to climb onto the stage.

"What are you doing?" The Doctor asked curiously.

Her response was to smile mysteriously and reply with her trademark, "spoilers!"

The Orchestra finished on a spectacular high just as she made her way into the middle of the stage, "obviously not a coincidence" The Doctor remarked to himself_. There was no such thing as coincidence where River Song was concerned, particularly since she had a flair for the dramatic. _

He was soon distracted however by the chosen headwear of a passing gentleman who happened to be the Ottoman ambassador. "That's a fez! He's got a Fez!" The Doctor exclaimed excitedly, gesturing to the ambassador. He turned to River to repeat this information and found the words leaving him at her facial expression. "Hat killer!" he grumbled, glaring pointly at her before he turned away.

He heard her murmur back, "shut up" before she raised her voice and addressed those gathered in the room. "Mesdames et Messieurs, I'm sorry to interrupt the orchestra when they're playing so well" She began to say, only to have someone at the back of the room interrupt her with a cry of "sing, _Chéri,__ bien-aimé_."

The Doctor scowled, directing his gaze to the crowd to discover just who was addressing his wife with such affection but it was only Felix, yet another empty glass of champagne in his hand which he waved at the stage.

River feigned a blush, "No, no no!" she cried waving her hands in dismissal as the Doctor rolled his eyes at her obvious immodesty.

A chorus of "Sing!" erupted from the corner of the room that Felix stood in, his friends evidently catching onto the mantra. Like a plague it spread quickly amongst the gathered nobility until at last it seemed as if the entire room were urging River to sing for them.

If he were honest the Doctor would have admitted that he was always impressed by her ability to sweep in and steal the limelight, but honesty, as he reminded himself, had never been a strong point of his. Rule one.

River motioned for the aristocrats to quieten down, smiling broadly. "As you wish" She replied silkily, though something told the Doctor that she was the one who had manipulated the situation. She leant towards the grand piano to her right and exchanged hasty words with the pianist before straightening up again. The song she planned on singing was obviously well known because the pianist began to play almost immediately, his nimble fingers dancing over the keys as the room played host to a haunting melody.

With a grateful smile in Felix's direction and a somewhat regretful glance at the Doctor River began to sing. The Doctor wasn't even aware that she could. Her voice was rich and throaty and all the more beautiful in Russian. He could have lost himself in the flow of words alone, if the meaning hadn't struck a cord.

"_Dark and burning eyes, Dark as midnight skies_

_Full of passionate flame, full of lovely game_

_I'm in love with you, I'm afraid of you._

_Days when I met you made me sad and blue." _

He swallowed, ducking his head as she glanced once more at him. A Russian Folk song, written by a Ukrainian, made famous by the Romani people. "Dark Eyes" a beloved treasure of the Romantic Era. It was a song about being helplessly in love with someone with far too much of a dark side.

"_Oh, not for nothing are you darker than the deep!_

_I see mourning for my soul in you,_

_I see a triumphant flame in you:_

_A poor heart immolated in it."_

Her eyes never left him, he could feel her gaze lingering no matter how hard he tried to lose it in the mass of people. Was this what she thought of him? He questioned. He had no doubt that River loved him _and_ that she was aware of his faults and flaws. _This was different though, this was far darker than anything he could have expected, the trouble was, why? Was it because of something he had done, or something he would do? _His unease went unreflected by everyone else in the room who were far too captivated to worry about hidden meanings. In the relative safety of the middle of the crowd the Doctor now stood, mulling over the possibilities.

Fortunately, he had forgotten the last verse of the song. River's voice rose to a hauntingly beautiful finish, with all eyes on her, save for the one who mattered.

"_But I am not sad, I am not sorrowful,_

_My fate is soothing to me:_

_All that is best in life that God gave us,_

_In sacrifice I returned to such fiery eyes."_

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><p>The song ended. River lowered her eyes in what to everyone else seemed like a demure act. In reality it was quiet contemplation. She could see no other way of explaining to him that didnt' end in a tear in time and space. She looked up after a second to where she had seen the Doctor last, he wasn't there. Instead, the Turkish ambassador stood in his place, now hatless and thoroughly upset.<p>

River diverted her gaze to the doorway just in time to find a tweed jacket in Turkish headdress whip out of sight.

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><p><em><strong>Reviews are much appreciated! <strong>_


	14. And You, Unloved By All, Save Me

**A/N: **_Sorry for another long, long wait guys! I've been really busy, but I want you all to know that I am committed to finishing this fic. Anyways, this Chapter deals exclusively with women's rights in Imperial Russia. (I know, history lessons, but in fairness I am an Archaeology student and I like to think that I make this fic interesting) **Quick note to mention, **prostitutes in Imperial Russia were given a yellow paper or card which basically told everyone what you were. It mean't that you had to move to the worst areas of the city and people made it difficult for you to find another job or better housing, you were also controlled by the government basically._ Also the waltz mentioned here is a very famous Russian Waltz :) oh and I used some French words, again.

Anyways, **_Chapter title _**_comes from a line in Devdas, a 2002 Bollywood film which partly discusses the way prostitutes were treated by the aristocracy_

enjoy!

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><p><strong><em>Chapter Thirteen: And You, Unloved By All, Save Me.<em>**

_The following is an extract from a religious group's reading who call themselves The Moral Revivalists. The group was founded in the year 5086 by the somewhat infamous Mr. Jacob Smythe. The aim of the religious group is to bring about a new age of ethics and morals, based upon a mixture of Victorian Age/Early 20__th__ century and Puritan values. All readings are shared at meetings and read out by the senior most person. This particular reading discusses dance. The author is unknown. Readings are only handed out at religious meetings, such as is held at the Luna University in Room RS203. _

"This frivolous and scandalous behaviour is unacceptable. Dance is simply an excuse to act shamelessly. From the time of the waltz dance has steadily progressed to become this abomination we see today. If this is allowed to continue surely society as we know it will descend into anarchy?"

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><p><strong>Winter Palace, Russia 1905.<strong>

River crossed the ballroom floor, ignoring Felix and his friends who were attempting to engage her in conversation. Most of the aristocrats nodded politely at her, stepping aside to let her past. Her attention was fixed firmly on finding the Doctor. She marched through the open doors, pausing in the hallway, her gaze turned to the right as she saw movement in the corner of her eye, the delicate swish of the black tail of a fez.

The Doctor sat not to far away, slouched against the wall and holding his head in his hands. River approached him cautiously, sliding down to sit on the floor in front of him with her dress fanning out around her.

"Doctor" she murmured softly, taking his hands away so that she could glimpse the forlorn expression on his face. Without another word she pulled him close to her, kissing his forehead as if he were a child.

_In some ways he was, she reminded herself, the soul of a 12 year old coupled with the knowledge of an ancient being; it would have been a disaster if anyone else held two such traits, in him it was a beautiful thing. _

The Doctor mumbled something incomprehensible as he crossed his arms, pouting.

River chuckled, kissing the bridge of his nose, flicking the Fez off of his head with one hand.

The Doctor's grumbling became much more audible. He attempted to turn away from her but River was much too quick for him. She leant forwards for a third time, drawing him closer to her so that she could press her lips against his softly. It took less than a second for The Doctor to melt into her embrace, one hand splayed across her back, the other lightly pulling on one of her blonde curls.

"better?" River asked when she pulled away.

The Doctor nodded.

River smiled radiantly, pushing away the sceptical voice in the back of her head. _Is this always how it's going to be? She'd spent so much time tumbling through asteroid belts and clouded nebulas in a relationship that seemed to get no where. An issue resolved between one version of him and her comes back to haunt her upon meeting his younger self. There was no moving forward for them, and that was why they were forced to hold onto whatever good times they had. _

_She'd called him a nostalgic idiot countless times, but deep down she knew he had no choice. Living on the idea that the other would one day understand was what kept them alive. The past was the solution. _

The haunting melody of _Amur Waves _cut across her daydreams, music rising and falling sharply and sending a shiver down her spine. _The Russian Waltz was like no other_. While the Viennese led a merry dance of style and elegance, the Russian conveyed a certain tragedy that romanticists revelled in. There was always tragedy in a great romance, _something River Song knew all too well._

"Dance with me" she murmured, rising to her feet and holding a hand out to The Doctor.

He gave a start, rising to his feet as he took her hand in his and kissed it gently.

"Vienna, 17th century" he said softly,

"Sorry?" she asked, raising an eyebrow,

"When we last danced" He clarified,

"Spoilers!" she replied with the hint of a smile, before adding "Venezuela 19th century."

His eyes darkened, "I remember that" he said in a low voice, eyes trailing over her frame.

"I bet our audience did too" she responded with a wink.

"Oh you bad girl" he growled, sliding his arm around her waist as he led her back into the ballroom.

"I believe it was you, _sweetie_, who caused the scandal" She retorted, smirking when his grip tightened around her.

"It was _your_ leg" he fired back, glancing at the leg in question.

"It was _your _hand" she replied pointly.

He grinned at her as he tweaked his bowtie with his free hand.

They breezed into the room, turning to face each other so that he could sweep her into the crowd in one neat step. Her hand on his shoulder, his at her waist they fell into place with the other couples.

"Too simple" The Doctor complained as they glided around the ballroom as if it were no great feat, steps much more pronounced and synchronized than those around them. "I've been dancing this waltz since before it was invented you know!"

River laughed, "This is the end of Russian Imperialism, just shut up and enjoy it while it lasts"

"Archaeologist" he grumbled under breath

"Hippie" she shot back, smacking his shoulder lightly.

The Doctor gawped at her in mock protest, ready to spin her around the floor as required. He was interrupted from doing so however by a tap on his shoulder. He jerked his head backwards in a slightly disgruntled manner, Felix Yusupov grinned back.

"Sir John," he began with an elegant and somewhat dramatic wave of the hand, "may I have the pleasure of cutting in"

The Timelord glared down at him shooting a look at River before turning back to the man, "You keep your hand where it's supposed to be" He said firmly,

Felix's eyes widened in what he evidently perceived to be innocence, "I wouldn't dream of doing other wise"

"No" the Doctor cut in impatiently, "I wasn't talking to you!" he glanced at River, "_He_" he began, waving airily at Felix, "Is too young for you"

"Yes and I suppose our age difference is perfectly normal" River responded sarcastically, referring of course to the 900+ age gap.

"Well, that's, I mean, that's not the point is it!" The Doctor spluttered. River's smile widened like a panther about to pounce on its prey. With a frustrated cry he took her by the hand and handed her over to Felix.

"trouble! That's what you are" He grumbled, though he bopped her on the nose affectionately.

"Ah but aren't all great women?" Felix asked as he led River back onto the dance floor.

The Doctor stood to the side of the room, watching them under a furtive gaze.

For the most part, Felix was an excellent dancer, sprightly and effortless at moving across the floor. Before she knew it, River was on the other end of the room, her back against the corner as Felix let go of her waist and leant in closer, his head bowed, "Mika, you have to leave Russia tonight"

River frowned, "what?" she asked glancing at him. His expression was pleading, "Mika, listen to me…" He began urgently.

"I overheard that charlatan Rasputin discussing you with the Tsar" Felix hissed through gritted teeth,

She chuckled in reply, much to his distress, "Don't you understand chėri? They plan to destroy you, one way or another. You are viewed as a threat. "

"A threat?" she asked, slightly offended. Felix smiled weakly, "_Bien-amie_, you are the most wanted woman in Russia."

"What have I done?" River asked him in a mock scandalised tone.

Felix shrugged, taking a glass from a passing waiter. He drained it in one gulp before going on, "they're concocting some falsified charge that questions your…" he paused, "_reputation._"

She snorted, "Is that all they've got?"

"My mother always told me that a man relies on his wit and courage, but a woman? _She_ only has her reputation. You know what will happen to you if you stay. "Felix explained, speaking gravelly as if she were on her death bed, "I watched our esteemed Tsar sign the paper himself with not a trace of regret and all because of that wretched magician" he spat on the ground to show his distaste for Rasputin, "Flee to Siberia, I have land there, I can offer you protection, take your husband with you" He whispered, River frowned, _flee?_ That was just something she didn't do. "Our country has gone to the dogs!" Felix finished, voice rising to a more audible roar.

He kissed her hand softly, "Adieu Cheri" he murmured before he turned and left.

"Felix I can't leav…." River began to call out to him, either he didn't hear her or pretended not to for he did not turn back.

_Adieu_ not _au revoir._ _adieu _he'd said. Clearly he assumed that they would never see each other again.

River turned on her heel, striding back towards the Doctor as a plan began to form in her head. Felix did make a good point, in aristocratic society the smallest rumour could spread like wildfire. _Probably because people had nothing better to do_, said a snide voice in the back of her head . There were dangers in this, she was aware, dangers in staying as well as in leaving.

"Hello Sweetie" She drawled out loud as she approached The Doctor, narrowing her eyes as he attempted to disentangle himself from the grasp of a young girl begging him to join her on the dance floor.

"River" The Doctor choked, eyes widening as he gestured for his wife to help him.

"Please Monsieur, just one dance?" The girl asked, battering her eyelids at him as she twirled her dress idly. River couldn't help but chuckle to herself. "Yes dear, do go ahead and dance" she added, stepping back so that she could wave her arms dramatically at the dancing couples.

"But-but!" The Doctor spluttered, glancing at the girl who was so obviously in love with him before giving his wife and incredulous stare as if he couldn't understand why she wasn't jealous.

River rolled her eyes, _honestly_, she was tempted to ask the girl if she'd like a dance with her instead. She refrained from doing so however, _reputation, married woman, blah, ._ "I do apologize dear, but I need to borrow the gentleman for a moment" She told the girl kindly, steering her husband away.

She heard the other woman give a cry of protest but paid no heed, right no she didn't have the time. Poor thing, she thought to herself, no doubt the man standing behind her was her father, probably egging her on to dance with every eligible young man in the room.

"Feel like skipping forward a few years?" She asked as soon as they were out of earshot.

The Doctor frowned, "Why, what's happened?"

River snorted, "Felix says that Rasputin and The Tsar are planning to well, raise questions about my virtues."

The Doctor's frown became more pronounced, "I'm not following,"

River smirked, "Would you mind being married to the whore of the court?"

"WHAT?" The Doctor asked, eyes widening as he cottoned on.

"Relax dear it's perfectly legal in Russia, just frowned upon at court."

"Who called you that?" he asked in a low tone, eyes searching the crowd.

"Doctor!" River cried, trying to direct his attention back to her.

""Who called you that?" He repeated.

"Does it matter? Doctor we are out of our time, these people view things differently to us. To them promiscuity is vulgar, distasteful, but only in the case of a woman. "She shook her head, "for a man it is acceptable, but if a woman reciprocates his actions then she's shamed." River paused, silently cursing the double standards of Imperial Russia. "For example, Prostitutes are registered here, but only so that they can be controlled."

"But- River"

River silenced him with a wave of her hand, "_Nicky_ can question me all he wants; I don't really give a damn. But if I don't leave and let this whole thing die down then I'll be of no use to anyone" She finished angrily, wringing her hands in frustration. This whole situation was a complete mess, and the only reason she was in was because of her gender, nothing more. To be labeled as a woman of questionable morals would find her living in the worst of districts, and worse still, no one would pay attention to someone in that situation, there would be no way for her to appeal to the Tsar, no one would care about what she had to say, and worse still there would be no way to save Anastasia if her position in society prevented her from doing so.

"One day" she began with a heavy sigh, "one day it will be different."

The Doctor responded by tucking a stray curl behind her hair, "I'd rather it was today" He said in a low voice. River chuckled, "For a man whose main objective is to run you do an awful lot of standing up to people" she observed.

"I don't like bullies" He replied smoothly, straightening his bow tie.

She was about to add that she didn't either, only to glance up and find a familiar face striding through the crowd towards them. "Speaking of which" She began in a grim tone.

The Doctor spun around, almost losing his balance and having to steady himself in the process. His face contorted into pure rage as he caught sight of the person who came to a stop in front of them.

"_Lady_ Dominika " The Tsar begun to say in his stiff formal tone, the emphasis on lady that sounded suspiciously sarcastic did not go unnoticed by The Doctor who took a step towards the other man, fists clenched at his sides. The people closest to them watched on closely, straining to hear, and that, River supposed, was what Nicholas wanted. There was nothing the higher class loved more then a good scandal.

Nicholas ignored The Doctor, instead offering River a small yellow document. "I think you'll be needing this now." His tone was cold, a triumphant glint in his eye.

River wanted nothing more then to shoot him then and there. "You do this now?" she asked, voice quivering with rage as she took a step towards him, level with The Doctor. Quietly she slid her hand over her husband's, forcing him to unclench his hand. "You invite me into your palace and then in front of everyone, you do this?" She glared down at the paper the Tsar held before her. In any other situation a paper was just that, but not this one.

"You are not fit to be in this Palace, let alone the company of these people, not after your attempt to corrupt both men and women alike," The Tsar spat in reply, shoving the paper towards her once more, "I command you to leave this place."

"If _I_ leave so does all the hope you had of surviving what's about to happen" River shot back furiously, eyes flashing.

"The Tsar laughed harshly, "and why would I trust the words…" He paused, leaning forward so that he was looming over her, "of a prostitute."

"what did you say?" The Doctor asked in a low dangerous tone as he tore his hand away from his wife's.

"If I were you Monsieur Smith, I'd consider an annulment. You wouldn't want to be associate with such.. behaviours, would you?" The Tsar replied in a meaningful tone, it was meant as a warning.

"Your day is coming Nicholas," The Doctor replied with a sinister grin, "and when it does I want you to look back on this day and remember this" His face twisted in an unrecognized sneer he turned away from the Tsar, his hand finding River's as he did so that she followed as he marched away.

The aristocrats in their path all but ran out of their way, muttering to one and other and exchanging glances, standing at the edges of the room as they made their remarks. River held her head high, she was not the disgrace here, she hadn't done anything.

_It would all change,_ a quiet voice whispered in her mind, _just a few more years. _

The Doctor didn't say one word, nor did she as they left the ballroom. Little did she know that he didn't trust himself to voice his thoughts, afraid that she would start to care more then she did.

"He won't get away with this" he finally said, once they were out of the palace, trudging through a foot of snow and hugging themselves for warmth as the bitter wind whipped at their faces. Even the weather was unwelcoming.

"He already has" River replied wearily as they reached the Tardis. "Until Rasputin is gone we can't do anything."

"I'd like a word with him" The Doctor growled, holding the door open for her, he muttered something about people practising what they preached. River shook her head, glancing behind her at the palace one last time. lights glimmered in the window like stars, snow hiding the manicured gardens and clinging to the tiles roof as if it were a gingerbread house. With a heavy sigh she turned back to the interior of the Tardis, stepping into the console room.

"There's no point" She sighed.

"well then" The Doctor began "we need to go somewhere where _he's_ not"

* * *

><p><em><strong>PLEASE REVIEW! <strong>_

_**also if you have any questions about the chapter, please read the author's note at the top.**_

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_**:)**_


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